(HONOLULU) — U.S. shipowner Matson has signed a contract with Chinese shipbuilder COSCO Shipping Shipyard (Nantong) for the integration of an LNG dual-fuel gas supply system into the containership Kaimana Hila, Offshore Energy reported.
The contract signing ceremony for the retrofit project was held in Nantong, China, on Feb. 2. The vessel will be the third that Matson is retrofitting with dual-fuel LNG capability as shipowners look at ways of meeting regulations such as CII and EEXI for their existing vessels.
The 3,600-TEU Aloha-class containership, delivered in 2019 by Philly Shipyard, will be equipped with LNG dual-fuel gas supply and control systems for both the main engine and four auxiliary engines.
The ship’s engine will be converted from an MAN B&W S90ME-C10.5 unit to a dual-fuel ME-GI unit capable of running on LNG. The retrofit will be executed by MAN PrimeServ, the after-sales division of MAN Energy Solutions, in accordance with a contract signed in June 2022.
Critical to this initiative is the installation of three 1,350-cubic-meter LNG fuel tanks, accompanied by a comprehensive upgrade of system-related features, including fire extinguishing, ventilation, lighting, communications and monitoring equipment.
