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N-KOM converts first vessel to ME-GI operation for Nakilat

N-KOM converts first vessel to ME-GI operation for Nakilat
Nakilat-Keppel Offshore & Marine (NKOM) has carried out the firstĀ  conversion of a vessel from heavy fuel oil (HFO) to ME-GI gas-burning operation on a Nakilat-owned Q-MAX LNG carrier.

Built in 2010, 266,000 cu m Rasheeda LNG carrierā€™s two MAN B&W S70ME-C engines were retrofitted with a gas-burning M-Type Electronically Controlled ā€“ Gas Injection (ME-GI) system, enabling them to use LNG.

Undertaken at Nakilat-Keppel Offshore & Marine (N-KOM)ā€™s Erhama bin Jaber Al Jalahma Shipyard in Qatar, the installation is the first of its kind, and is being called a ā€œmilestoneā€ by MAN B&W.

ā€œThe success of the ME-GI project is the culmination of years of cooperation with Qatargas, RasGas and MAN Diesel & Turbo as turnkey project manager,ā€ said Nakilat md Abdullah Al-Sulaiti. ā€œIn late 2013, Nakilat worked with our charterers to implement a pilot conversion on Q-Max Rasheeda, the first retrofit ME-GI project ever to be implemented in the marine industry. This is a milestone moment for all involved parties.ā€

Christian Ludwig, head of retrofit and upgrades at MAN PrimeServ, said: ā€œThis is a fantastic milestone in our companyā€™s history. It is a lighthouse project, and there has been a remarkable partnership and cooperation through this historic conversion. Our ME-GI order book now stands at 140 orders ā€“ for different vessel sizes and applications, which we see as a compelling case for our technology to be designated the industry standard.ā€