First Methanol-Fueled Ship Debuts in South Korea

Lindanger, the first of two clean-burning, fuel-efficient vessels, equipped with the MAN B&W ME-LGI 2-stroke dual-fuel engines that can run on methanol, fuel oil, marine diesel oil, or gas oil was named and launched yesterday at Hyundai Mipo Dockyard in Ulsan, South Korea. 

Owned by Norwegian firm Westfal-Larsen, Lindanger is the first in a series of seven 50,000 dwt vessels to be chartered to Canada-based Waterfront Shipping Company (WFS).

“We are proud to take delivery of Lindanger this week – one of the first Korean-built methanol-fueled ocean tankers that’s innovative, clean burning and fuel efficient,” Rolf Westfal-Larsen, President and CEO, Westfal-Larsen Management says.

“We are so privileged to become the first shipyard in the world to deliver a methanol-fueled vessel. It will reduce SOx emissions by about 95% and NOx emissions by about 30% compared to conventional marine diesel oil,” Man Choon Kim, Vice President, Contract Management Department, Hyundai Mipo Dockyard comments.

Lindanger has been assigned the notation LFL FUELLED to demonstrate its compliance with the DNV GL rules for low flash point marine fuels.

The second vessel is to be added to Westfal-Larsen’s fleet on 28 April. The third dual-fuel vessel will be delivered to Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) in Japan on April 22, while the remaining four 50,000 methanol carriers are scheduled for delivery by October 2016.

All ships, being built by Hyundai Mipo Dockyard and Minaminippon Shipbuilding, will be chartered by WFS.

Out of the series of methanol-fueled ships, two are owned by WL, another two are jointly owned by Marinvest and WFS, while the remaining three vessels are owned by MOL.