The HHI VLCC is designed to be powered using a combination of volatile organic compounds (VOC) mixed with LNG as fuel and Norsepower’s rotor sail system for wind-assisted propulsion.
The design was the result of a joint development project (JDP) collaboration between HHI, LR and Norsepower.
HHI developed a VOC recovery system which will allow the VLCC to use fuel produced from naturally-occurring vapour from the cargo tank during operations. The AiP has been verified for interface and control logic stability with other systems, resulting in reduced emissions and improved efficiency.
Norsepower’s rotor sail solution impact, such as structural reinforcement and visibility calculation, was reviewed using computational-fluid dynamics (CFD) during the JDP. This confirmed that it has the potential of providing 5-7% fuel savings, depending on operating routes.
LR facilitated a hazard and operability (HAZOP) workshop for the LNG fuel supply system and associated technology in accordance with LR’s ShipRight Procedure for Risk-Based Designs. The concept design was examined in conjunction with the result of the HAZOP.
This AiP demonstrates the potential for reducing emissions in ship designs, by combining VOC recovery and LNG in a dual-fuel system with the addition of rotor sails, to help the shipping industry address the challenge of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050, LR said..
The SHI AiP was awarded for an LNG-fuelled VLCC equipped with a 6,000 cu m LNG fuel storage tank, a 2-stroke dual-fuel diesel engine and an LNG fuel supply system.
This AiP was a result of JDP with SHI, called VLCC2020.
LR assessed the technical feasibility of the LNG fuel supply system and energy saving technologies, including SAVER Air, a SHI patented air lubrication system, and as with the HHI design, Norsepower’s rotor sail solution.
SHI’s LNG-fuelled VLCC design is estimated to reduce CO2 emissions by around 25% and sulfur oxides by about 99%, compared to conventional VLCC design.