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Teekay LNG Partners has ordered two 173,400-cubic metre LNG carriers from Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering in Korea. The vessels will each have two MAN Diesel & Turbo ME-GI dual-fuel, ultra long two-stroke gas injection engines. The engines received DNV type approval in 2010 and their use as part of an innovative propulsion package is claimed to give significant fuel savings when compared to propulsion commonly used for LNG carriers today.

DNV said that its experience from assessments of LNG-fuelled ships shows that a gas-fuelled main engine has the same risk level as a diesel-fuelled main engine. A key reason for the low risk was said to be that the main engine undergoes rigorous type approval and testing regimes as well as being subject to stringent rule and regulatory requirements.

DNV pointed out that the new electronically controlled, two-stroke ME-GI engines from MAN Diesel & Turbo have undergone extensive testing. The engines will automatically switch between burning LNG and fuel oil when power is reduced to 15% load, making port-to-port operation on LNG possible.

"These engines place us at the forefront of technology in the marketplace," said Tony Bingham, Teekay’s technical manager for LNG. "We benefit, our charterers benefit and so does the environment through lower SOx, NOx, CO2 and particulate emissions."

Bingham continued: "We will install a revolutionary re-liquefaction plant which consumes less than 300kw. This enables us to re-liquefy any excess boil off at speeds below 15 knots. Link this capability together with DSME's patented sealed LNG containment system and we can ensure that no boil off is burnt in the gas combustion unit at any speed. This unique design ensures that the maximum cargo is delivered to the customer at the lowest unit freight cost in the industry."

DNV is providing full classification services for the newbuilding project. "As the class society that has approved most of the gas-fuelled vessels built to date, DNV has played a central role in the evolution of gas engine technology," said Nick Roper, DNV’s District Manager for the Pacific region.

Teekay's new vessels are scheduled for delivery in 2016 and the company has an option to buy three additional vessels. The delivery time coincides with expected growth in the US LNG export market and a wave of increased demand for LNG carriers. The new vessels will be among the largest LNG carriers able to transit the Panama Canal after its expansion, thus making them ideal for US LNG exports.