The 57,000 dwt Greenway, an LNG dual fuel Suezmax tanker built by GSI shipyard in China for Singapore headquartered shipowner Eastern Pacific Shipping Pte. Ltd. Photo courtesy Guangzhou Shipyard International
Guangzhou Shipyard delivered a pair of innovative ships recently: the 274m, 157,300 dwt Greenway reported to be the world’s first LNG dual fuel Suezmax tanker built for Singapore headquartered shipowner Eastern Pacific Shipping Pte. Ltd.; and the 49,990 dwt tanker Stena Pro Marine, the second methanol-fuelled ship ever built in China.
The ship was handed over to Proman Stena Bulk, a joint venture between Sweden’s Stena Bulk AB and Switzerland-headquartered Proman, with another sister vessel due to be delivered later this year and three more have been ordered to the same design.
GSI vice president William Zhou said delivering the vessels is a high watermark for the company in building state-of-the-art alternative fuelled ships.
“The building of the ships sends a hugely positive message to the international maritime industry that GSI shipyard is at the cutting edge of building alternative fuelled ships,” said GSI vice president William Zhou. Photo courtesy Guangzhou Shipyard International
Zhou said GSI has already established itself as a prolific builder of dual-fuelled ships, with 32 among its references, including its current orderbook. However, although he said the company has gained experience from building LNG- ships, he said building the first methanol-fuelled ships and the first dual fuel suezmax “is an incredible achievement for us.”
When Greenway is propelled in LNG mode, according to Zhou it can reduce carbon dioxide emissions about 23 percent, nitrogen oxide emissions about 90 percent, and particulate matter and sulfur oxide emissions by 99 percent. The main engine is a MAN B&W 6G70ME-C10.5-GI HPSCR (Tier III) and is driven by a high pressure LNG system with fuel gas piping design pressure up to 350bar, and test pressure up to 525bar.
Stena Proman fleet ships can go a long way to showcasing how methanol can be deployed safely and at low cost, according to Zhou. “The systems are less complicated than those of LNG and LPG-fuelled vessels,” he said. “As soon as classification societies drafted rules on using methanol as fuel, GSI began to get involved and it is wonderful to see the first two ships built and delivered. We did a huge amount of research on methanol in advance of this project communicating with equipment manufacturers and class. We expect to see many more shipyards embracing methanol ships now, but we are very proud to be one of the first. Again I would like to thank Proman, Stena, our team, MAN engines as well as the class society DNV for all they are doing to make this bold ship design and fleet a reality.”
GSI has built, or is building, a total of 32 dual fuel ships including two LNG propulsion ropax vessels, two LNG propulsion Suez tankers, 14 LNG propulsion LR2 tankers, eight LNG propulsion PCTCs and six methanol propulsion MR tankers.
Stena Pro Marine, the second methanol powered dual fuelled tanker built by GSI shipyard in China. Photo courtesy Guangzhou Shipyard
