Teekay LNG Partners has ordered two 173 400 m3 LNG carriers from Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) in South Korea. The vessels will each have two MAN Diesel & Turbo ME-GI dual-fuel, ultra long two-stroke gas injection engines. These engines received DNV type approval in 2010.
DNV experience from risk assessments of LNG-fuelled ships shows that a gas-fuelled main engine has the same risk level as a diesel-fuelled main engine. One reason for the low risk is that the main engine undergoes rigorous type approval and testing regimes, as well as being subject to stringent rule and regulatory requirements.
The new electronically controlled, two-stroke ME-GI engines from MAN Diesel & Turbo have undergone extensive testing. The engines will automatically switch between burning LNG and fuel oil when power is reduced to 15% load, making port-to-port operation on LNG possible.
DNV is providing full classification services for the newbuilding project.
Teekay’s new vessels are scheduled for delivery in 2016 and the company has an option to buy three additional vessels. The delivery time coincides with expected growth in the US LNG export market and a wave of increased demand for LNG carriers. The new vessels will be among the largest LNG carriers able to transit the Panama Canal after its expansion, making them ideal for US LNG exports.
Adapted from press release by Callum O’Reilly