MAN lands big VLCC order

MAN Energy Solutions will supply 10 dual-fuel engines for series Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCC) being built in Korea.

The 10 MAN B&W 7G80ME-GI Mk9.5 dual-fuel engines will power the 300 000-dwt VLCCs, four of which are for Advantage Tankers, while AET and International Seaways will get three each. Another new segment for the ME-GI engine, the newbuildings will operate globally as charters for a major oil company. HSD Engine will construct the engines in Korea, while DSME will build the vessels in Korea.

“This is a significant order on several fronts owing to its size and the ME-GI’s debut in yet another segment,” said Bjarne Foldager, senior vice president and head of Two-Stroke Business at MAN Energy Solutions. “The engine’s characteristics make it eminently suitable for LNG and non-LNG carriers alike due to its service experience, low methane slip, high efficiency, and fuel flexibility – whether running on fuel-oil, or LNG where it accepts any gas quality available in the market.

A MAN Energy Solutions ME-GI engine. The company will supply 10 of the engines for 10 Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs) being built in Korea.

“These crude carriers will be powered by mature engine technology that continues to make inroads into new markets and segments. As we move towards a zero-carbon future, the ME-GI showcases MAN Energy Solutions’ dual-fuel engine portfolio that is future-proofed to handle whatever alternative fuels come to prominence in the decades ahead.”

The new order follows a slew of recent orders announced globally for the engine in recent months. MAN Energy Solutions stated in January 2021 that its low-speed, dual-fuel references in their entirety then exceeded 360 units, with the ME-GI recording over 1.5 million operating hours on LNG alone.