MAN, Anglo-Eastern sign EEXI solutions pact

MAN Energy Solutions will supply its Overridable Power Limitation (OPL) solution, including service installation, to ship manager Anglo-Eastern to meet the impending IMO MARPOL IV EEXI regulation.

In preparation for the upcoming EEXI regulation, MAN Energy Solutions said it developed retrofit solutions to satisfy vessels in need of an OPL solution, both for MC- and ME- engines.

Early in the process, Anglo-Eastern requested suggestions for suitable solutions for those elements of its fleet in need of a retrofit. Anglo-Eastern has approximately 300 vessels requiring an OPL solution, spanning mechanically- as well as electronically-controlled engines.

The development of OPL was spurred by the introduction of the IMO’s MEPC 335(76) regulation – to be enforced beginning January 2023 – that will require vessels already in service to meet the EEXI (Energy Efficiency eXisting ship Index). MAN Energy Solutions said its OPL meets the vast majority of shipowners’ desire for a simple, economical solution that would comply with the impending regulation. OPL reduces carbon emissions by restricting the maximum power – and thus, fuel consumption – produced by prime movers to a lower value than what was originally designed and certified for.

Sarath Prasannan, Managing Director, Hong Kong and Head of MAN PrimeServ, Marine & Power (APAC); (on screen) Carsten Ostenfeldt, Chief Operating Officer, Anglo-Eastern Univan Group; Mohit Purswani, Key Account Manager (Hong Kong); Mandar Pendse, Senior Procurement Manager, Ocean Sourcing, Anglo-Eastern Univan Group.

MAN OPL is a measure to limit the main engine’s maximum continuous rating (MCR), with the possibility to be overridden if the safety of the vessel is compromised. The MAN OPL is a mechanical stopper device for limiting the fuel index. The solution is tamper-proof, which includes that the MAN OPL solution cannot be overridden via local control, the company said.

The OPL stopper is installed on the original fuel index stop and can be adjusted if full engine power is required. Once adjusted, the original fuel index stop is revealed and full engine power is available. The OPL stopper is secured and locked by a unique wire seal with a part number and IMO number. The wire seal can only be installed when the OPL stopper is secured in the correct position.

“It was important for us to have a solution for our customers and vessels that was timely and cost competitive,” said Carsten Ostenfeldt, chief operating officer, Anglo-Eastern Univan Group. “We knew pressure would build up across the many vessels in the world in need of an OPL solution, which is why we wanted to be an early mover to ensure sufficient capacity for the retrofit of our vessels.”

Sarath Prasannan, managing director MAN Energy Solutions, Hong Kong and head of MAN PrimeServ, Marine & Power (APAC), said the Anglo-Eastern Group is a Global Key Account for MAN Energy Solutions and is well prepared in its approach to meeting the IMO regulatory requirements due to come into effect in 2023.

“We will work together with Anglo-Eastern in ensuring that the engines in its fleet have the latest class approval and access to tamper-proof EEXI compliant solutions,” Prasannan said.

Anglo-Eastern is a leading global provider of independent ship management services, with 650 vessels under full technical management, and over 250 under crew management. The group has nearly 50 years of experience and engages in all areas of ship management, crew management, and technical services for vessels of all types and sizes. As of November 2018, it was the largest ship manager in the world by number of ships, and the second largest in the world by number of seafarers.