Tsuneishi Shipbuilding receives order for four methanol-fuelled container carriers

Tsuneishi Shipbuilding on Monday (2 October) said it has received an order for four methanol-fuelled 5,900 TEU container carriers. 

This is the third order for a methanol-fuelled vessel following the KAMSARMAX AEROLINE and TESS66 AEROLINE, and the first order for a methanol-powered container carrier. 

The vessel will be installed with a MITSUI-MAN B&W 6G80ME-C10.5- LGIM-EGRTC, a dual-fuel methanol and heavy oil main engine manufactured by MITSUI E&S Co., Ltd., and which will be the first in Japan to be installed.

The 5,900 TEU type container carrier is the largest container carrier built by Tsuneishi Shipbuilding Group. It can carry up to 5,915 20-foot-equivalent-unit containers in the hold and on deck, and up to 1,400 reefer containers also can be loaded in response to increased demand in recent years. 

In addition to the improved hull form and MT-FAST, an energy-saving technology, the adoption of a large-capacity shaft generator has enabled this dual-fuel vessel to achieve both top-class loading performance and excellent fuel economy compared with fuel oil vessels in the same segment.

This vessel has been developed based on the concept of a final solution for the zero CO₂ emission vessel through the use of green methanol. 

Tsuneishi Shipbuilding said all on-board generators, HiMSEN engine (8H32DF-LM) which will be supplied by HD Hyundai, can also be methanol-fuelled, making it possible to achieve carbon neutrality with the exception of a small amount of pilot fuel.

In addition, the vessel has equipment to receive large-capacity alternative maritime power supply and zero CO₂ emissions can be achieved by shutting down the generators while anchoring. 

Tsuneishi Shipbuilding said it has already developed and received orders for methanol-fuelled designs for its main product, KAMSARMAX AEROLINE and TESS66 AEROLINE, and will launch more methanol-fuelled vessels.

Photo credit: Tsuneishi Shipbuilding
Published: 3 October, 2023