World News
MAN: World's First ME-GIE Ethane Two-Stroke Diesel Engine Boosts Operators' Fuel Options
MAN Diesel & Turbo SE (MAN) Monday announced that Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. (MES) has completed the world’s first ME-GIE ethane-operated two-stroke diesel engine, which it says will give operators increased flexibility in selecting a marine fuel.
"The ME-GI engine represents the culmination of many years’ work and gives shipowners and operators the option of utilising fuel or gas depending on relative price and availability, as well as environmental considerations," explained MAN.
The engine is said to be the first of a series of three set for installation on three 36,000 m3 liquefied ethylene gas (LEG) carriers being constructed at Sinopacific Offshore & Engineering Co.,Ltd. (SOE) for Germany's Hartmann Schiffahrts GmbH & Co. KG (Hartmann Schiffahrt) and Norway's Ocean Yield.
The company says that the engine provides operators with one of the most environmentally friendly technologies, due to the engines "negligible" fuel slip.
"MAN Diesel & Turbo sees significant opportunities arising for gas-fuelled tonnage as fuel prices rise and modern exhaust-emission limits tighten," stated the company.
Commenting on the fuel selected for use by the engine, MAN said: "ethane was chosen as fuel, in preference to HFO, due to its more competitive pricing as well as the significantly shorter bunkering time it entails.
"As a fuel, its emissions profile is also superior to HFO – in which respect it is similar to methane – and compared to HFO contains negligible sulfur and 15-20 percent lower CO2."
MAN, which currently has eight ME-GIE engines on order, says it has verified methane operation for the engine type, noting that ME-GI engines will also allow for easy conversion to methane propulsion as an alternative.
In March, MAN announced that the company's new G50 ethane engine successfully passed its Type Approval Test (TAT) at Mitsui in Japan.
Key Bunker Prices More
| VLSFO | MGO | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $/mt | +/- | $/mt | +/- | |
| Singapore | 645.00 | 2.00 | 767.50 | 11.50 |
| Rotterdam | 600.00 | 8.00 | 751.50 | 13.00 |
| Houston | 627.50 | 9.00 | 796.00 | 11.50 |
| Fujairah | 649.50 | 0.00 | 889.00 | 0.50 |
| Global 20 Ports Average | 665.00 | 0.50 | 864.00 | 6.50 |
| Global 4 Ports Average | 630.50 | 5.00 | 801.00 | 9.00 |
| Global Average Bunker Price | 722.50 | 2.50 | 922.50 | 3.00 |
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