BW in LPG retrofit move

BW LPG, the world’s largest liquid petroleum gas shipping company, has signed contracts including future options for the delivery and retrofitting of four LPG-propelled dual-fuel engines in its fleet.

BW LPG claims in a statement that this move is “a world’s first initiative.” The company expects the first retrofitting to take place in conjunction with scheduled drydockings starting 2020.

With LPG propulsion, BW LPG says it would reduce its sulphur oxide emissions by up to 97 percent, allowing for full compliance with all current and future sulphur emissions requirements.

This means the retrofitted ships, when operating on LPG, will go beyond IMO’s global 0.5% sulphur emissions cap to also be in full compliance with Emission Control Areas (ECA) and Sulphur Emission Control Areas’ (SECA) 0.1% sulphur cap, according to BW LPG.

“BW LPG has been preparing for IMO 2020 for years… We will be the global pioneer in operating next-generation, high-tech green ships with dual-fuel propulsion,” Martin Ackermann, BW LPG chief executive said in the statement.