MAN Diesel & Turbo tech ordered for LNG-fueled fishing vessel

MAN Diesel & Turbo said it has been selected to provide a complete propulsion package and fuel-gas system for the world’s first fishing vessel with LNG propulsion.

An 86-meter newbuilding purse-seiner, the Libas designed by Norway’s Salt Ship Design, will be built by Cemre Shipyard in Istanbul for the Norwegian fishing group, Liegruppen.

The vessel will feature a MAN 6L51/60DF main engine, Renk gearbox, MAN Alpha propeller system and MAN Cryo LNG fuel-gas system with a 350 cubic meter tank.

MAN Diesel & Turbo’s uprated MAN L51/60DF engine passed its type approval test at the end of 2017 where a nine-cylinder test engine had an output of 1,150 kW/cylinder at a nominal speed of 500/514 rpm. The engine can be employed both as marine main-engine and auxiliary engine and ran on both fuel-oil (DMA) and natural gas on the testbed.

MAN said the delivery of the new LNG-propulsion package is part of its engagement for the establishment of LNG as a shipping fuel.

Calling for a maritime energy transition the company considers the use of natural gases as the fuels of choice in global shipping as the most promising way to supporting the goal of a climate-neutral shipping industry.