Hapag-Lloyd & Seaspan hire MAN ES to retrofit their ships to run on green methanol

MAN Energy Solutions (MAN ES) has signed a Conversion Commitment Agreement with Hong Kong-based shipping major Seaspan Corporation and German liner company Hapag-Lloyd to deliver engine retrofit solutions for their vessels.

Under the terms of the Agreement, MAN PrimeServ, MAN Energy Solutions’ after-sales division, will deliver 15 engine retrofit solutions for conversion of vessels powered by individual MAN B&W S90-type fuel-oil-powered engines from the Seaspan and Hapag-Lloyd fleets to dual-fuel ME-LGIM engines capable of running on green methanol.

According to MAN ES, this agreement includes 45 optional engine retrofit solutions. Each conversion could provide a CO₂ reduction of 50.000–70.000 tonnes each year, when operating on green methanol.

“Seaspan and Hapag-Lloyd, are significant maritime stakeholders with strong fleet-decarbonisation commitments and strategies. This Agreement shows clear intent to drive the industry transition toward zero-carbon shipping,” Thomas Leander, Head of Solutions and Site Manager, Frederikshavn, Denmark said.

“Retrofitting existing engines to dual-fuel running is one of the most effective ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to derive greater efficiency and profitability from an existing shipping fleet, while simultaneously delivering fuel flexibility and extending operational lifetimes. Crucially, this also avoids the unnecessary building of additional tonnage with associated CO₂ emissions, and thereby showcasing that retrofitting the existing maritime fleet is an important and feasible path.”

MAN Energy Solutions developed the ME-LGIM (-Liquid Gas Injection Methanol) dual-fuel engine for operation on methanol, as well as conventional fuel. When operating on green methanol, the engine offers carbon-neutral propulsion for large merchant-marine vessels. Currently more than 100 ME-LGIM engines are on order or in service, more than 50 of which are G95ME-C10.5-LGIM variants.

The move follows last month’s announcement of Danish shipping giant A.P. Moller Maersk to convert an existing container ship to a dual-fuel methanol-powered vessel. Maersk also hired MAN ES to carry out the retrofit work.

The company revealed that the first engine retrofit in the industry is to be conducted in the middle of 2024, noting its intention to replicate on sister vessels when going for a special survey in 2027.