DSME Wins Chinese Patent Case for Natural Gas Fuel Supply System

by Ship & Bunker News Team
Friday February 17, 2017

Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co., Ltd (DSME) has won a patent case in China for its natural gas fuel supply system, LNG World News reports.

DSME says a Chinese shipbuilding and offshore equipment company filed a patent invalidation complaint to SIPO, the Chinese patent office, claiming that DSME's HiVAR-FGSS technology registration should be nullified as it is not progressive and patentable - a claim that SIPO dismissed.

DSME is said to have first registered a patent for the natural gas fuel supply system in China in March 2013, also having the system recognised as progressive and patentable in France in December 2014.

Cryostar is said to have previously filed a patent invalidation complaint with the European Patent Office, which was also rejected.

With the intention of increasing the competitiveness of the domestic shipbuilding industry, DSME says it has signed memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with domestic small equipment makers to transfer the patented technology in 2013.

The HiVAR-FGSS natural gas fuel supply system has been used in the MAN Diesel & Turbo’s M-type, electronically-controlled, gas-injection (ME-GI) engine.

Since the engine's development in 2011, it is noted to have been used as the main propulsion in a number of LNG carriers and merchant marine vessels.

Ship & Bunker News Team
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