In a groundbreaking development, RINA has granted Approval in Principle to SDARI as the ship designer for an innovative aframax tanker. This vessel is the result of a joint development project, also involving TMS Tankers as the prospective owner and Wartsila as the engine maker.

The novel design features a unique propulsion system, which replaces the conventional setup of one 2-stroke main engine and three generators with two medium-speed engines. These engines can power both the vessel’s propulsion and hotel load efficiently.

This innovative arrangement not only offers superior redundancy and safety by eliminating blackout risks but also significantly enhances fuel efficiency across all speed ranges compared to current standard dual-fuel ships.

Furthermore, the design provides a straightforward compliance path for shipowners, enabling them to operate efficiently until around 2040 without additional costs. At that point, based on market dynamics, they can choose to retrofit the engines to the prevailing global fuel or convert natural gas to hydrogen fuel, capturing carbon atoms as CO2 for storage and disposal ashore.

This significant milestone, celebrated during Posidonia 2024, demonstrates the strong collaboration between the esteemed partners. The Approval in Principle indicates that a detailed specification for constructing the ship is already in place, highlighting the design’s maturity and the thorough review of ship performance by all involved parties.