MAN Diesel & Turbo has clinched engine orders for two LNG carriers newbuilds from Knutsen OAS Shipping.

The Norwegian owner has ordered four MAN B&W 5G70ME-GI engines with EGR systems for two 180,000 cu m LNG carriers.

The vessels due to be delivered in 2020 to transport LNG worldwide for two Spanish utility companies. The two utility companies recently signed 20-year long sale & purchase agreements with Cheniere Energy unit Corpus Christi Liquefaction to purchase over 1m tonnes of LNG a year.

“These orders are notable in that they are the sixth and seventh such carriers bound for service for Spanish utilities that have been ordered within the past four years alone. As such, our G70ME-GI engine has become a popular choice for LNG carriers globally,” said Bjarne Foldager, vice president sales & promotion, Two-Stroke Business at MAN Diesel & Turbo.

“This can be attributed in great part to the ME-GI’s embracing of the diesel principle, which is simply the most effective method of converting gas fuel to propulsion power.”

Source: Marcus Hand, Seatrade Maritime News