Two new large, 180,000 cbm LNG carriers being built by the Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) in Korea on behalf of a collaboration between SK Shipping and Marubeni, are to be powered by 6-cylinder Wärtsilä X62DF 2-stroke dual-fuel engines.
This is a milestone order for the marine sector as these will be the first large LNG carriers featuring Wärtsilä’s 2-stroke dual-fuel technology. The order was placed in September and will be entered in Wärtsilä’s September order book.
Wärtsilä has already supplied more than 150 ships with its 4-stroke, low pressure dual fuel engines. The 2-stroke development was introduced in November 2013. This engine technology combines efficient fuel consumption and low investment costs. The benefits already proven with the Wärtsilä 4-stroke dual fuel engines can now be applied to 2-stroke engines, which are widely popular in merchant vessels. Importantly, both the Wärtsilä 2-stroke and 4-stroke, low pressure dual-fuel engines are compliant with the IMO’s Tier III regulations without the need of secondary exhaust treatment systems.
The scope of supply for these ships includes two 6-cylinder Wärtsilä X62DF main engines per vessel together with the required electricity generator sets powered by Wärtsilä 34DF dual-fuel engines. The main engines will be built by a Korean licensee and the deliveries are scheduled for the first quarter in 2016. The first ship is due for delivery in the first quarter of 2017.
“The selection of the Wärtsilä 2-stroke, low pressure, dual fuel engine technology for these LNG carriers is indicative of the benefits this new technology will bring to the marine sector. We are able to meet the crucial requirements of today’s shipping business, namely for fuel efficiency, environmental compliance at all engine loads, plus very competitive first time and running costs,” says Kang, Seog-Hwan, COO of SK Shipping.
The vessels will be chartered by a U.K. subsidiary of the French oil major, Total. The ships will be the largest LNG carriers able to pass through the Panama Canal after its planned expansion in 2015.
Press Release, September 9, 2014; Image: Wärtsilä