DNV GL Unveils More Fuel Efficient 20,000 TEU Box Ship Design

by Ship & Bunker News Team
Thursday October 29, 2015

DNV GL has announced the release of a technical and feasibility study for a new liquefied natural gas (LNG) powered 20,000 TEU mega box ship concept with a novel "Engine Room Free" propulsion system it says has the potential to be a more efficient, more flexible, and greener ultra large container carrier (ULCC) design than those of current vessels.

The study, known as the Piston Engine Room Free Efficient Containership (PERFECt), is reported to have been carried out by DNV GL in partnership with Gaztransport & Technigaz S.A. (GTT), CMA CGM S.A. (CMA CGM), and CMA Ships.

The LNG-fuelled concept vessel is powered by a combined gas and steam turbine, and is electrically driven.

"The shipping community has realised that LNG enables the implementation of new propulsion concepts such as demonstrated by the PERFECt design that can increase a vessel's efficiency, reduce fuel consumption and therefore offer a commercially interesting solution," said Remi Eriksen, Group President and CEO at DNV GL.

"I am confident that the utilisation of LNG as ship fuel will increase over the next few years."

Gerd Würsig, Business Director for LNG-fuelled ships at DNV GL – Maritime, says the study was driven by an interest in exploring how the design of an ULCC could benefit by using a combined gas and steam (COGAS) turbine power generation system.

DNV GL says that the concept, which features two 10,960 m³ LNG fuel tanks underneath the vessel's deck house and steam turbines within the same deck house at deck level, negates the need for an engine room on the vessel, thereby increasing cargo capacity.

The company further notes that the vessel's LNG tanks are large enough to hold enough fuel for an entire Asia to Europe round trip voyage.

"This concept rethinks the ship's design. The COGAS system with electrical propulsion gives us a great deal of freedom in the general arrangement and in tailoring the installed power to the actual operational requirements," explained Jean-Baptiste Boutillier, Technology & Information Director at CMA Ships.

"The lower footprint of the machinery system and increased flexibility of the electric propulsion system means we can increase the capacity of the vessel, despite LNG tanks requiring more space than traditional fuel oil tanks, thereby generating greater revenues and reducing the payback time for the additional CAPEX required."

Last week, General Dynamics NASSCO announced that the Isla Bella, the world's first LNG powered containership, was delivered nearly two months ahead of schedule to TOTE Maritime.