Sumitomo Heavy Industries Marine & Engineering has been granted an Approval in Principle (AiP) from Lloyd’s Register for a medium-size tanker equipped with a high-pressure LNG dual-fuel system that has been designed to reduce methane slip.
In a statement posted yesterday (5 August), Sumitomo Heavy Industries said the tanker is equipped with an LNG dual-fuel system and ‘large-capacity’ LNG tank.
The company also claimed the vessel’s design will help combat the problem of methane slip. According to the Sumitomo statement: ‘LNG fueled engines present environmental challenges in that unburnt methane (a greenhouse gas) is emitted into the atmosphere from their exhaust gas. However, the ME-GI type main engine designed by MAN Energy & Solutions that will be installed on the vessel will substantially reduce those emissions and also improve fuel efficiency. High-pressure LNG that has been pressurised to approximately 300 bar will be supplied to this main engine through an LNG pump and vaporiser.’
The AiP was granted on 9 July.