LPG carrier’s low-speed main-engine converted to dual-fuel running.

MAN PrimeServ, MAN Energy Solutions’ after-sales division, has announced the successful conversion of the main engine aboard the LPG carrier, ‘BW Gemini’, from an MAN B&W 6G60ME-C9.2 type to an MAN B&W 6G60ME- LGIP dual-fuel type capable of operating on fuel oil and LPG. The BW Gemini is part of the fleet of Oslo-listed BW LPG – the world's leading owner and operator of LPG vessels.

BW LPG chose retrofits over newbuildings for a number of reasons, according to a press release.
Pontus Berg, Executive Vice President, Technical and Operations, LPG, said: “Retrofitting allows us to minimise our carbon footprint – the process emits up to 97 percent less carbon dioxide compared to a newbuilding construction. Retrofitting also means that we do not add additional tonnage that the world does not need. In addition, BW LPG’s fleet is already widely recognised amongst charterers for its efficiency, and so retrofitting 12 of its vessels to dual-fuel LPG would help to further reinforce the company’s strong reputation in this area.”

The successful conversion – and start of gas and sea trials – will make the BW Gemini the world’s first commercial vessel to be propelled by a two-stroke LPG dual-fuel engine. The conversion is the first of 12 ordered by BW LPG for a series of vessels in its fleet.

BW LPG is the world's leading owner and operator of LPG vessels and currently owns and operates 51 Very Large Gas Carriers (VLGC) and Large Gas Carriers (LGC) including two VLGC newbuildings with a total carrying capacity of 4,159,213 CBM.