Everllence LNG dual-fuel engines to power six chemical tankers built at Pipavav

Swan Defence and Heavy Industries Limited (SDHI) has selected Everllence two-stroke, dual-fuel engines for six chemical tankers it will build at Pipavav, Gujarat, for Norwegian shipowner Rederiet Stenersen AS. Japan’s Mitsui E&S will manufacture the engines under licence for the 18,000-deadweight-tonne (dwt) vessels, which are designed for Northern European service. The propulsion order, announced on 10 and 11 November 2026 by Mitsui E&S and Everllence respectively, covers engines capable of running on liquefied natural gas (LNG).

Which Everllence engines will power the chemical tankers?

Mitsui E&S will supply six Everllence B&W 6S50ME-C9.7-GI-EGRBP engines. The two-stroke ME-GI design injects gas at high pressure and uses a small quantity of pilot fuel oil to initiate combustion in gas mode. The dual-fuel configuration allows the engine to operate on either gas or conventional liquid fuel.

Everllence said the first vessel’s engine will use exhaust gas recirculation to meet International Maritime Organization (IMO) Tier III limits on nitrogen oxide emissions. Its propulsion specification also includes a controllable-pitch propeller, which allows the blade angle to be adjusted during operation. Tier III limits apply to qualifying ships operating in designated nitrogen oxide emission control areas, including the Baltic Sea and North Sea.

What does the US$227 million Pipavav contract cover?

SDHI announced the US$227 million shipbuilding contract in January 2026, following a letter of intent signed with Stenersen in November 2025. The contract covers six firm vessels and includes an option for six additional sister ships. At signing, SDHI said the first tanker was scheduled for delivery within 33 months, with subsequent vessels to follow at regular intervals.

Each tanker will measure about 150 metres in length and 23 metres in beam. Marinform AS and StoGda Ship Design & Engineering are responsible for the design, and DNV will class the vessels. The tankers will be built to Ice Class 1A for Northern European operations. Their IMO Type II designation sets construction and containment requirements for carrying specified bulk liquid chemicals that pose safety and environmental hazards.

Why does the engine order matter for Pipavav?

The tanker series is the first newbuilding contract at Pipavav since the yard’s revival under Swan Corp and the first chemical tanker order placed with an Indian shipyard, according to SDHI. The yard, formerly operated by Reliance Naval and Engineering Limited, has a 662-metre by 65-metre dry dock and annual fabrication capacity of 164,000 tonnes.

The order is also Mitsui E&S’s first from an Indian shipyard. It comes in the centenary year of the Japanese manufacturer’s engine licensing relationship with Everllence. Over that period, Mitsui E&S has produced more than 7,500 B&W engines with a combined rated output exceeding 120 million horsepower.

FAQs

Who ordered the six chemical tankers from SDHI?

Rederiet Stenersen AS placed the order with SDHI. The six firm vessels will be built at Pipavav in Gujarat.

Who designed the engines and who will manufacture them?

Everllence designed the two-stroke dual-fuel engines. Mitsui E&S will manufacture all six under licence.

When is the first chemical tanker due for delivery?

SDHI’s January 2026 contract announcement specified delivery of the first vessel within 33 months, with the remaining vessels scheduled to follow at regular intervals.