BW LPG starts trial of world’s first VLGC running on LPG as fuelBW LPG starts trial of world’s first VLGC running on LPG as fuel

BW LPG said the VLGC BW Gemini is the world’s first VLGC to be fuelled by LPG, with the retrofitted main engine running on LPG and switching to traditional fuel seamlessly.

The approximately 60-day retrofitting process took place at Yiu Lian Dockyard in Shenzhen, China, and is estimated to have emitted 2,060 tonnes of carbon dioxide, approximately 97% lower when compared to ordering a newbuild with similar technology.

“LPG is powering our vessels while protecting the environment. With over 80 years of experience in LPG handling, we look forward to demonstrating its benefits to the industry and prepare for the future of zero-carbon propulsion,” said Pontus Berg, executive vice president (technical and operations) at BW LPG.

BW LPG noted that decarbonisation is one of the industry’s main challenges and a core commitment of the company in the pursuit of sustainable development. Using LPG as fuel for propulsion is a pioneering and promising solution for sustainable shipping, the company believed.