Ultra large container ships for Hapag-Lloyd to have MAN dual-fuel engines

MAN Energy Solutions is to supply dual-fuel MAN B&W 11G95ME-GI Mk 10.5 main engines for six ultra large container ships ordered by Hapag-Lloyd at Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering. The vessels will have a capacity of about 23,500TEU.

The first engine, capable of operating on LNG or conventional fuel, will be supplied in May 2022. The ships are likely to be delivered between April and December 2023.

The container line’s CEO, Rolf Habben Jansen, commented: “With the investment in six ultra large container vessels, we will not only be able to reduce slot costs and improve our competitiveness on the Europe – Far East trade, but also take a significant step forward in modernising our fleet. Additionally, we will further reduce our environmental impact.”

Speaking for the engine company, Bjarne Foldager, senior vice president and head of Two-Stroke Business, said: “The engines’ fuel-efficiency and negligible methane slip tie in perfectly with Hapag-Lloyd’s strategy of sustainability. As we move towards a zero-carbon future, the ME-GI showcases our dual-fuel engine portfolio that is future-proofed to handle whatever alternative fuels come to prominence in the decades ahead.”

MAN has now taken orders for more than 360 low-speed, dual fuel engines, with the ME-GI series clocking in excess of 1.5 million operating hours running on LNG. The gas injection engines have now been installed on container ships, bulk carriers, tankers, LNG carriers and car carriers. The company has also developed a liquid gas injection engine that can operate on sustainable fuels including methanol and liquid petroleum gas.

Hapag-Lloyd’s container line’s fleet comprises 234 vessels with a total capacity of 1.7 million TEU.