MAN Diesel & Turbo’s G50 “Quad-Fuel” engine has successfully passed its Type Approval Test taking it one step closer to powering the world’s first ethane-fuelled eco-friendly liquefied ethane gas (LEG) carrier.
MAN Diesel’s ME-GI engine series features engines that can operate using ethane, heavy fuel oil (HFO), marine diesel oil (MDO) and marine gas oil (MGO) to provide maximum flexibility and cost efficiency. The G-50 engine type has been developed to produce the same power output as its predecessor but with a smaller size and lower weight.
DNV-GL oversaw type approval proceedings in Japan where the engine was tested as an ME-C type running on MGO where its gas system also successfully completed a pressure and function test.
MAN Diesel & Turbo has also developed an MELGI version of the technology, capable of operating on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and will be delivered from Q2 in 2018. MAN Diesel’s MI-GI engines have proven to reduce CO2, nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulphur oxides (SOx) emissions and has an unburnt gas slip, minimising the greenhouse gasses emissions slip.
The first test and operation on ethane fuel will take place after loading in Texas on Ethylene Carrier Eco Star 36K, owned by Hartmann Reederei.
Eco Star 36K will also be equipped with a MAN Kappel propeller with a rudder-bulb system. It will also be International Maritime Organization (IMO) NOx Tier III-compliant exhaust gas recirculation (EGR).
The Eco Star 36K is the first of three to be built in China by SinoPacific Shipyard for the German ship owner.
