Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) has confirmed an order for 10 × 8G95ME-GI10.5 engines in connection with the building of 10 × 15,000-teu containerships for Seaspan Corporation. The vessels are scheduled for delivery in the first half of 2023, and will immediately after begin 12-year charters for ZIM Lines – the international shipping group – serving the US East Coast trade.

Thomas S. Hansen, Head of Promotion and Customer Support, Two-Stroke Business, MAN Energy Solutions, said: “This is just the latest order the well-proven ME-GI concept has won in recent months. Its service experience, low methane slip, high efficiency, and fuel flexibility – whether running on fuel-oil or LNG – remain unparalleled in a market whose momentum towards a zero-carbon future is growing rapidly.”

The ME-GI engines will come with a newly introduced PVU (Pump Vaporizer Unit), which ensures an optimal integration between the engine and LNG-supply system.

MAN Energy Solutions announced in January 2021 that its low-speed, dual-fuel references in their entirety had exceeded 360 units, with the ME-GI recording over 1.5 million operating hours on LNG alone. Since then, among other references, 10 × MAN B&W 7G80ME-GI Mk9.5 dual-fuel engines were ordered in early March 2021 for a series of 10 × 300,000-dwt VLCCs, a début for the engine is this particular segment.

The ME-GI engine – the new industrial standard

MAN Energy Solutions successful ME-GI (-Gas Injection) engine has set a new industrial standard for two-stroke propulsion engines aboard – among others –  container vessels, bulk carriers, tankers, LNG carriers and car carriers. The ME-GI engine provides ship-owners and operators with a peerless solution within environmentally friendly and high-efficiency, two-stroke technology, without the greenhouse emissions such as methane slip that are characteristic of competing engines.

With the ME-GI engine, two-stroke development has taken a step further by combining the unique properties of multi-fuel combustion and the well-known reliability of MAN Energy Solutions ME-engine. The Diesel principle not only provides the ME-GI engine with high operational stability and efficiency, but also ensures 100% stable and reliable operation during load changes on gas with just normal additions of pilot-oil amounts. Furthermore, the ME-GI operational principles features a seamless change-over between gas operation and diesel operation  The ME-GI engine is the most environmentally-friendly technology available within the two-stroke engine segment.

MAN Energy Solutions has also developed an ME-LGI (-Liquid Gas Injection) dual-fuel engine that expands the company’s dual-fuel portfolio, enabling the use of more sustainable fuels such as methanol and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).

The Maritime Energy Transition

MAN Energy Solutions believes that it is time for what it terms a ‘Maritime Energy Transition’ to find clean, decarbonised solutions for seaborne trade and transportation. Essentially, it is the company’s call to action to reduce emissions and establish natural gases as the fuels of choice in global shipping. It strongly promotes a global ‘turn to gas’, driven by the IMO, and a common approach by the shipping industry and politics to invest in infrastructure development and retrofits.

About Seaspan Corporation

Seaspan, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Atlas Corp., is a leading independent owner, operator and manager of containerships providing high-quality, modern vessels with best-in-class operations and innovative ship design. Seaspan’s current operating fleet of 127 vessels represents a total capacity of approximately 1,073,000 TEU, and since December 2020 Seaspan has announced two vessel acquisitions and 31 newbuild orders which will add a further 487,000 TEU to the fleet, including 10 15,000 TEU dual-fuel LNG.