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Sweden's Alfa Laval - a leader in heat transfer, centrifugal separation and fluid handling - has entered into a patent licence agreement with Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) for the use of DSME's patents on high-pressure fuel gas supply systems.

The agreement, signed in March 2015, enables Alfa Laval to further develop the Alfa Laval Fuel Conditioning Modules for use with high-pressure gas injection engine technology from MAN Diesel & Turbo. It also signals Alfa Laval's commitment to providing ship owners with more comprehensive solutions to use cleaner fuels, such as liquefied natural gas (LNG), as alternatives to heavy fuel oil, marine diesel oil and marine gas oil.

Under the terms of the agreement, Alfa Laval is to use DSME patents with Alfa Laval Fuel Conditioning Modules for use on natural gas-powered ships, such as LNG carriers. The agreement also paves the way for Alfa Laval to adapt its fuel conditioning systems using DSME technology in order to use LNG as secondary or tertiary fuels aboard commercial ships of the future.

"The agreement strengthens Alfa Laval's position as a reliable partner to LNG carriers and a leader in further developing fuel conditioning technologies for alternative fuels for marine propulsion," commented Roberto Comelli, Alfa Laval Business Manager, Fuel Conditioning Systems.

"We fully expect the development of LNG technologies to continue and the uptake of LNG to increase over the next decade, and Alfa Laval will be well-positioned to meet the demand," remarked Niclas Dahl, Market Unit Manager, Marine Energy, Alfa Laval.

In keeping with its strategy to support the use of LNG fuels with sound next-generation technology, Alfa Laval acquired in December 2014 CorHex, the Korean-based manufacturer of compact printed circuit heat exchangers (PCHEs). These diffusion-bonded compact heat exchangers are described by Alfa Laval as being "excellent" for, among other things, high-pressure LNG fuel gas applications.

The DSME licence agreement for Alfa Laval LNG-based Fuel Conditioning Modules and the acquisition of CorHex heat exchangers further enhances Alfa Laval's LNG portfolio, which includes inert gas generators, gas combustion units, burners, boilers and heat exchangers.

Alfa Laval is due to give a presentation entitled 'Alternative marine fuels: Paving the way for tomorrow's customized solutions today' at Nor-Shipping 2015 on June 3 at 13:00 and 15:00 at the Alfa Laval stand E02-20 in Hall E.