LGE business has been awarded a contract to deliver six cargo handling and fuel gas supply systems for Ultra Large Ethane Carriers in China.
The new supersized ships have 50% more capacity than existing Very Large Ethane Carriers (VLEC), and at 150,000 m3, are a world first of this size.
Transportation of liquefied gas
The ships, being built at the Jiangnan Shipyard in China, will be fitted with cascade reliquefication plants to manage the Boil Off Gas (BOG), with the contract signalling a continued wave of demand for the globally sought technology in a buoyant market for the transportation of liquefied gas.
Neale Campbell, Managing Director of Babcock’s LGE business, said: “The development of these ships is a milestone moment as the industry enters the new era of Ultra Large Ethane Carriers. We are proud that our pioneering-edge technology is an intrinsic part of these game-changing vessels, with an integrated reliquefaction system and fuel gas supply system providing fuel to the ship’s main engine – helping to support a net-zero future.”
LGE’s intellectual property portfolio
The LGE business saw a record order intake of more than £300 million in the first half of 2024
The integrated system comprises of LGE’s SuperCooler™ and ecoETHN™ technologies – both part of LGE’s intellectual property portfolio. SuperCooler™ improves plant efficiency by increasing reliquefaction capacity whilst reducing energy consumption, while ecoETHN™ integrates the reliquefaction plant with the fuel gas supply system, utilising methane-rich Boil Off Gas as fuel for the main engine and auxiliary power generators.
The LGE business saw a record order intake of more than £300 million in the first half of 2024, with 63 contracts from international shipyard customers driven by major LNG projects in the Middle East and growing demand in China.
ecoSMRT® for LNG reliquefaction
Ongoing technology development by LGE this year has already achieved eight patent applications, two patents granted, and eleven trademarks granted across the portfolio range, including for LNG, Ammonia, and CO2. Sales have also been strong across the technology-rich portfolio, including the ecoSMRT® for LNG reliquefaction, ecoETHN® for Ethane Cargo Handling Systems, and 18 Ammonia ship Cargo Handling Systems.
The success of the LGE business was also formally recognised by the award of King’s Award for Enterprise in the Innovation category.