MES says that the ME-GI engine, which burns natural gas, is the first of its kind in Japan. The ship builder says that the engine has the same reliability as the oil fired diesel engines used for most ocean going vessels across the globe.

The demonstration was carried out in conjunction with Mitsui OSK Lines and it involved temporarily switching over the ME-GI engine from burning conventional oil to natutural gas temporarily to demonstrate its benefits.

MES completed its new power generation plant which specialises in slow speed gas injection diesel engines at Chiba back in 1994. Since that time, the company has carried out various experiments and accumulated additional know how and the ME-GI engine is a result of this research.

The engine is a fusion of state of the art technologies including electronic control and emission reduction technology and MES is working towards ensuring the further adoption of ME-GI into commercial shipping – starting with LNG carriers.

Last year, the LNG carrier, Double Eco Max, which featured ME-GI propulsion decreasing fuel costs and CO2 emissions by 30% was developed by MES and became available commercially.