The world's first methanol dual-fuel operating container ship delivered
In the shipbuilding industry, there is a saying circulating: "The world looks at China for ship repairs, and China looks at Zhoushan for ship repairs."
Two days ago, whistles came from Changbai Island, Dinghai District, Zhoushan City, Zhejiang Province. A methanol dual-fuel operating container modified ship "ECO UMANDE"(Umande), which was modified by Pacific Ocean Engineering (Zhoushan) Co., Ltd., was officially released for trial sailing. It is worth mentioning that this is the first ship in the world to complete methanol dual fuel conversion.
Marine "Green Giant""" Eat "Clean Fuel Methanol
Different from the past, this big ship, which was originally powered by fuel, will "eat" a cleaner fuel energy source-methanol after arriving at the trial area. This means that Zhoushan's shipbuilding industry is at the forefront of the world in modifying methanol fuel main engines, and Zhoushan's green shipbuilding repair industry has thus opened up a new track.
"As a normal-temperature liquid fuel, methanol is safer than ammonia, hydrogen, etc., and has become the future development direction of new green fuels in the shipping industry. After modification, the ship can use cleaner and environmentally friendly methanol fuel and green methanol fuel. When it is used, it has zero carbon emission capabilities, and it can also use fuel fuel, and the overall carbon emissions can be reduced by about 95%. And as a normal-temperature liquid fuel, it is safer than LNG, ammonia, hydrogen, etc." Zhou Boqun, director of the production department (ship repair) of Pacific Ocean Engineering (Zhoushan) Co., Ltd., the ship transformation party, said that the ship's hull is mainly green, which symbolizes environmental protection, and the "ECO" in the ship's name also represents its environmentally friendly design.
Methanol fuel is "popular", and the global shipping industry and shipbuilding industry are taking frequent hand in hand to accelerate the conversion of methanol dual fuels for operating ships. In 2021, Pacific Ocean Engineering (Zhoushan) Co., Ltd. focused on green and environmentally friendly ship types and successfully delivered the world's first 300,000-ton ore carrier equipped with rotor sails, accumulating a good reputation in the industry. At the beginning of this year, Pacific Offshore was entrusted by X-PRESS FEEDER, a well-known container shipowner in Singapore, to undertake the important task of transforming the Umand.
"On March 25, the Umand entered the factory. The ship has a total length of 148 meters, a width of 27.2 meters, and a container load of 1170 TEUs. As the world's first outer ship to be modified with methanol dual fuels at a shipyard, you can imagine the difficulty." Zhou Boqun said that the dual-fuel modification project of the main engine is the key to this renovation. It is necessary to newly embed seven systems, including methanol fuel and nitrogen, in the original ship space, and at the same time modify eight systems, including the original ship's air measurement and engine room water supply.
Break through technical bottlenecks such as stainless steel pipe system construction and welding
As the world's first ship to be converted to methanol dual fuels at a shipyard, you can imagine the difficulties behind it.
"Methanol is highly corrosive. To be safely supplied on ships, 316L stainless steel pipelines must be used. This puts forward new requirements for the company's welding technology and welder skills." Zhou Boqun said that with the strong support of the world-renowned classification society and the international authoritative certification body Norway Classification Society, 10 welders of Pacific Offshore Engineering have mastered relevant technology. It is estimated that a total of about 3000 meters of 316L stainless steel pipelines are used for the internal methanol supply and auxiliary system of the Umande. After X-ray inspection of the welds, the one-time pass rate of more than 3000 butt welds produced is 98%.
"I am very grateful to the staff who participated in this renovation. It was not an easy task, but it was a success in the end." On the same day, Khairul Bashar, China's new shipbuilding manager of X-PRESS FEEDER Company, the owner of the Ummand, was very pleased. He revealed that X-PRESS FEEDER will continue to cooperate with Pacific Offshore in the field of methanol dual fuel project transformation. In July this year, there will be another One operating container will be shipped to Zhoushan for iterative upgrades.
In addition, according to the cooperation agreement signed between global shipping giant Maersk Group and Zhoushan City Xinyi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., in the second half of this year, another 14,000 TEU container ship named "MAERSK HALIFAX" from Singapore will arrive in Xinyi and be converted into a methanol dual-fuel-powered ship as planned.
"The shipbuilding and offshore equipment industry has always been Zhoushan's pillar industries and highly representative marine characteristic industries. The successful delivery of the world's first methanol dual-fuel operating container ship marks the transformation, upgrading and advancement of Zhoushan's shipbuilding industry. An important step forward." The relevant person in charge of the Zhoushan City Economic and Information Technology Bureau said that in recent years, in accordance with the development direction of "high-end, intelligent and green", the local government has intensively introduced a series of policies to benefit enterprises, continue to optimize the industrial development ecology, vigorously support enterprises 'technological transformation, innovative research and development, and seize low-carbon opportunities, undertake more high-end and high-value-added ships and offshore engineering products, and empower the high-quality development of the shipbuilding and offshore equipment industries.
