Hamworthy is supplying reliquefaction systems to all 31 Q-flex LNG carriers, and 20 of the systems have now passed their gas trials.
Hamworthy Gas Systems recently completed its 20th reliquefaction system gas trial on board the 216,000m3 series of ‘Q-flex’ LNG carriers. These are the first 20 out of 31 Q-flex ships ordered from three Korean yards to export LNG from Qatar: Samsung Heavy Industries, Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, and Hyundai Heavy Industries. Ten of the ships are operating with LNG ballast and as more LNG becomes available from the Qatargas market more of the vessels will be in regular operation.
“The gas trial is the first opportunity to operate the reliquefaction system under cryogenic gas conditions,” said Tore Lunde, managing director of Hamworthy Gas Systems. Hamworthy’s gas trial team is assisted by engineers from Kongsberg Maritime, Honeywell and Atlas Copco, which are responsible for the control system and compressors/companders respectively.
Hamworthy has an exclusive worldwide licence to manufacture and sell the Moss RS LNG reliquefaction system for all types of LNG carriers. The patented process reliquefies boil-off gas and returns LNG back into the cargo tanks.
In August the Group also announced that it had secured a first of type contract to supply LNG-RS plant on four dual-fuel diesel-electric powered ships. The LNG-RS systems are due for delivery in the last six months of 2009 and will be installed on four 170,000m3 LNG carriers ordered by BG Group from Samsung Heavy Industries and scheduled for delivery in 2010. This contract widens the Group’s market for LNG-RS which previously targeted only low speed diesel engine powered LNG carriers.
