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A gas turbine-powered containership project has entered into a new phase as it looks to develop its initial concept into a ‘ready to order’ vessel. Project partners ABB, OMT, GTT, Caterpillar’s Solar Turbines, CMA CGM, its subsidiary CMA Ships, and DNV GL, presented the results of phase II of the PERFECt joint industry project (JIP) at Nor Shipping 2017. “The PERFECt project has brought a new set of expert 
capabilities together and delivered promising results”, said Gerd Würsig, business director for LNG-fuelled ships at DNV GL – Maritime. “The impulse behind this project was the interest in seeing how a modern ultra large container ship design could benefit from clean fuel and highly efficient COGES technology. We have achieved our objectives and now have a validated design concept with enough technical detail to develop a business case.” The PERFECt JIP examined the potential of developing an electric-driven 20,000 TEU ultra large container vessel (ULCV) with an LNG-fuelled combined cycle gas and steam turbine (COGES) electric power plant. Goals for the project were to utilise LNG as a primary fuel for an ultra-low emissions profile, in a design with at least the same carrying capacity and efficiency as existing ULCVs. The concept uses a highly efficient combined gas and electric steam turbine (COGES) system, in combination with an all-electric design, which offers exceptional performance with several advantages. Propelling the ship with electrical motors enables the power generation and propulsion systems to be placed in separate sections of the ship. And with the COGES system providing power for both propulsion and auxiliary systems, an engine room is not needed any more. This means the power plant, together with the integrated LNG tanks, has been moved below the deck house – freeing up considerable space for more container slots. In addition to the improved overall arrangement of the vessel, a tailored hull shape and new propeller design add to the overall efficiency. The novel hull form with vertical bow is tailormade to the operational profile of the vessel, and with a high efficiency propeller in combination with a contra-rotating pod, the total propulsive efficiency is increased by around 5%.
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