Wärtsilä completes milestone marine sector project to reduce methane emissions on vessels

Technology group Wärtsilä has successfully completed the conversion of one engine on three LNG carriers operated by Chevron Transport Corporation from dual-fuel (DF) to spark gas (SG) operation. This conversion aims to lower greenhouse gas emissions from the vessels by reducing methane slip, un-combusted methane that can escape into the atmosphere from LNG fuel. Following the successful conversion of these first three vessels, three additional vessel conversions are planned for execution later this year and next year, bringing the total number of converted vessels to six.

This project represents a technical collaboration within the marine sector focused on addressing methane emissions from LNG-fueled vessels. Wärtsilä’s 50DF to spark gas conversion project will modify the engines in service to operate as spark gas, using spark ignition versus diesel pilot fuel to initiate combustion. This enables a more optimised combustion process, thereby reducing the engine methane slip and improving efficiency.

“Advancing lower-emission shipping will require both technology innovation and industry collaboration. Through projects like this, we can gain valuable operational insights, evaluate solutions and contribute to the collective experience needed to help move the industry forward while continuing to provide safe and reliable transport of energy,” said Barbara Pickering, President of Chevron Shipping.

This story was originally published by Hellenic Shipping News. Read the full story at Hellenic Shipping News →