MAN Energy Solutions has announced that its methanol-ready MAN L/V 32/44CR engine has received Approval in Principle (AiP) from the Italian classification society RINA. This AiP covers an upgrade concept for the four-stroke engine that allows for conversion to dual-fuel running on methanol. The certification comes as interest in methanol is growing in the shipping industry due to its potential as a clean, carbon-neutral fuel.
One of the major advantages of the four-stroke portfolio of MAN Energy Solutions is its inherent retrofit potential. This enables the company to provide shipowners with cost-effective solutions and flexibility regarding future fuels. With this new approval by RINA, MAN Energy Solutions is moving closer to providing future-proof solutions to shipowners.
Methanol is a promising alternative to traditional marine fuels because it is liquid at ambient temperatures and easy to handle aboard vessels. It emits fewer NOx emissions and no SOx or soot emissions during combustion, making it environmentally friendly. Methanol is also much less hazardous to marine life than conventional marine fuels.
Moreover, the AiP certificate permits the use of outer ship hulls as bunker tanks, which increases fuel-storage capacity on-board. MAN Energy Solutions is also developing solutions for methanol, which can become carbon-neutral if synthesized with green hydrogen. The German company has won major engine contracts for newly ordered methanol-powered vessels, including HMM’s nine 9,000 TEU containerships, and is providing methanol-powered engines for six 17,000 TEU containerships, eight 16,000TEU, and one feeder being built for Danish integrated logistics company A.P. Moller – Maersk at Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI). MAN Energy Solutions expects to reach 100 figure for its two-stroke methanol dual-fuel engines on order and in service.
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