BW LPG starts LPG fuelling

CLEAN AIR ACT

LPG FUEL • FOR GAS CARRIERS, LPG IS EMERGING AS A POTENTIAL SOLUTION TO REDUCE EMISSIONS. LEADING VLGC OPERATOR BW LPG IS SHOWING THE WAY IN THE TRANSITION

BW LPG HAS completed the conversion of its 2015-built very large gas carrier (VLGC) BW Gemini to run on LPG fuel and, following a week of gas and sea trials, the ship embarked on its first gas-fuelled voyage at the beginning of November.

BW Gemini is the first VLGC to be fuelled by LPG; its new main engine runs on LPG and can switch seamlessly to traditional fuel when necessary. The propulsion system was tested to its limits off Hong Kong in October, observed by experts from MAN ES, the engine manufacturer, BW LPG’s own newbuilding and projects and technical departments, and classification society DNV-GL, which has awarded the required classification certificate to the ship.

“On behalf of the management of BW LPG, we thank our BW team on site and in office, and partners such as MAN ES, Wartsila Gas Solutions, DNV-GL, Isle of Man flag and You Lian Shekou dockyard,” says Pontus Berg, BW LPG’s executive vice-president, technical and operations. “BW Gemini is a testament to what industry collaboration can achieve – together, we can pioneer the technology needed to decarbonise shipping and realise a zerocarbon future.”

“We are very pleased to have worked with BW LPG to realise this ground-breaking retrofit project,” adds Cristina Saenz de Santa Maria, regional manager, south-east Asia at DNV-GL Maritime. “With the pioneering conversion to LPG, BW LPG is demonstrating

BW LPG IS CONVERTING 12 OF ITS EXISTING that not only can shipowners step up to cut their emissions in operation, but that the conversion itself can play a role in reducing the industry’s overall environmental impact. We hope more owners will look to these kinds of new fuels as the industry moves to decarbonise and DNV-GL stands ready to support the industry with our unmatched technical expertise and unique classification solutions.”

EMISSIONS REDUCTIONS BW Gemini’s first LPG-fuelled voyage took the ship from Hong Kong across the Pacific Ocean, through the Panama Canal and on to the Enterprise Products Partners terminal in Houston for loading. The outbound voyage was set to use full LPG propulsion and was expected to produce 20 per cent less greenhouse gas emissions compared to compliant fuels, and 10 per cent less fuel.

In addition, according to Wärtsilä, which supplied its pioneering LPG fuel supply system for the conversion, running on LPG reduces sulphur oxide emissions by some 97 per cent, compared to traditional fuels. The conversion project took around two months and was carried out at the Yiu Lian Dockyard in Shenzhen, China. Another 11 of BW LPG’s VLGCs are to be similarly converted over the coming year.

In additional to the fuel supply system, Wärtsilä was responsible for the design of the conversion, two 930-m³ fuel tanks with pumps and pipework, pump skids and the cargo handling system. Kjell Ove Ulstein, director of marketing and sales at Wärtsilä, says: “World firsts are always exciting and we congratulate BW LPG on their commitment to pursuing the adoption of LPG as a long-term viable and sustainable marine fuel. The project highlights once again Wärtsilä’s leading position in bringing innovative fuel gas solutions, along with the customer benefits they offer, to the market.” www.bwlpg.com www.wartsila.com