No Need For Shipowners to Rush on LNG, Says MAN Diesel & Turbo

by Ship & Bunker News Team
Thursday March 26, 2015

According to MAN Diesel & Turbo, shipowners would be better-served in the long run by not preparing or ordering ships that run on liquefied natural gas (LNG) in the near-term, Lloyd's List reports. 

“We advise them to do as little as possible… some preparations might be wasted efforts,” said Senior Vice-President Ole Grone.

“It’s best to take advantage of [later] technology and wait.”

He said that presently, the most expensive part of building a LNG-fueled ship is constructing the tank.

“Retrofitting MAN’s ME-GI engine would be the cheapest part… which would cost around 20% of the engine price,” he said. 

He added that the price of newer fuel technology is likely to drop as new innovations enter the market, making it unnecessary for companies to rush into LNG.

Experts have also pointed out the lack of widespread LNG infrastructure and a reliable fuel supply chain, both of which may act as a deterrent to adopting the fuel. 

Meanwhile, a number of other companies have already adopted dual-fueled engines aboard some ships, including AS Tallink Grupp and BW Group.

Earlier this month, it was reported that dual-fuel engines are expected to gain popularity among container shippers in the coming years. 

Ship & Bunker News Team
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