Babcock's LGE business

Babcock’s LGE business

Forging a world of opportunity for international shipyards and shipowners

Babcock’s LGE business delivers world-leading, environmentally focussed and engineering-led cargo handling and fuel gas solutions to shipyards and ship-owners in the commercial marine industry. With over 50 years of specialist engineering heritage, we have successfully designed over 600 systems for international customers across liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), ammonia, liquefied natural gas (LNG), ethane and carbon dioxide markets.

Through expert engineering, procurement, project management and in-service support, combined with world-leading technologies, our LGE business future-proofs our customers’ assets, allowing improved performance while reducing operational costs and meeting ever-tightening environmental and emission regulations.

Our expertise has been recognised through the various awards over the years, including Queens Awards, Maritime UK and the King’s Award for a wide range of categories, including innovation and international business. These successes have been driven by the desire to innovate and developing intellectual property to support the existing and future needs of our customers.

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Our technologies

Our LGE business has continued to innovate for over 50 years, developing new technologies in a wide range of maritime cargo handling and fuel-gas supply markets, from LPG to LNG, and most recently into ammonia fuel and CO₂. Further information on the specific technologies can be found below.

Our LGE business has significant experience in LPG and ammonia gas carriers, supplying cargo handling systems into the market for more than 50 years.

ecoVGC^® is a multi-functional enhancement to the traditional compression based reliquefaction system employed on liquefied gas carriers which transport cargoes such as LPG and ammonia, and petrochemical gases like ethane and ethylene, providing significantly increased capacity and efficiency at lower capital expenditure and operational expenditure.

Based on a novel application of known and proven technologies, ecoVGC^® provides increased reliquefaction plant capacity and the ability to carry cargoes with high incondensable or volatile content which conventional reliquefaction systems could not handle. The system has been installed on more than 200 LPG carriers since 2012.

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ecoSMRT^®, a single mixed refrigerant (SMR) technology, has a proven track record in delivering unparalleled efficiency and operational flexibility to the LNG market.

With over 140 LNG carriers due to utilise this technology by 2028, ecoSMRT^® is now the leading LNG reliquefaction system for LNG boiloff gas (BOG) globally. With its modular, skid based design, it can be integrated into LNG carrier design during the newbuilding phase, but also considered for retrofitting applications to improve vessel BOG management in service.

ecoSMRT^® was originally designed to support the modern-standard LNG Carrier (174,000m³), delivering 1,900kg/hr of reliquefaction capacity. Following the success of this system, we have developed larger models of 2,300 kg/hr and 2,700 kg/hr to offer even greater capacity, utilising the same tried and tested design philosophy.

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ecoETHN^® is our LGE business’ patent-pending technology, designed for the growing Very Large Ethane Carrier (VLEC) and Ultra Large Ethane Carrier (ULEC) markets.

The ecoETHN^® solution enables the carriage of higher methane content commercial ethane cargoes by integrating the vessel’s reliquefaction system with the fuel gas supply system. ecoETHN^® provides condensation of ethane/methane boil off gas (BOG) from the reliquefaction system to the fuel gas supply system with up to 2.0 mol% methane in the liquid phase.

ecoETHN^® provides through-life benefits and operating expense savings to the entire ethane value chain, harnessing the methane component in the BOG and preferentially using it in the fuel system. This reduces the demand on the cargo system and reduces the processing time at both loading and unloading.

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ecoFGSS^®, our LPG fuel gas supply system, has been developed to meet the demand for LPG as a marine fuel for a range of vessels. The system is designed with safety and operability at its heart, minimising crew interactions whilst providing a continuous and reliable fuel supply for the vessel.

As the leading supplier of fuel gas supply systems to the LPG gas carrier market, our LGE business’ design is well established. When integrated with the gas carrier cargo handling system, there are a significant number of benefits, including the seamless integration between cargo and fuel system, utilisation of aligned design philosophies, and commonality of equipment for both suppliers and spare parts.

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ecoFGSS-FLEX^® is an ammonia fuel gas supply system designed by our LGE business which addresses the growing interest in ammonia as a marine fuel.

ecoFGSS-FLEX^® has been designed on the basis of the market-leading LPG fuel gas supply system, whilst applying the lessons learned from over 50 years designing and managing ammonia systems in the maritime industry. ecoFGSS-FLEX^® has also been designed in close collaboration with leading ammonia-dual fuel engine manufactures.

Alongside the ecoFGSS-FLEX^® system, we have also innovated ecoVARS^® – Vented Ammonia Recovery System. This system, to be used in conjunction with ecoFGSS-FLEX^®, allows for up to 90% recovery of the vented ammonia back to the fuel storage tank, providing economic, operational and environmental benefits.

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ecoCO2^® is our LGE business’ liquified carbon dioxide (CO₂₎ (LCO2) cargo handling system. Designed with consideration for the full carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) value chain, ecoCO2^® delivers a simple, cost-effective and efficient solution for the transportation of CO₂. ecoCO2^® incorporates tried and tested equipment and adheres to industry safety standard and environmental legislation.

We’re working with partners across the full CCUS value-chain, including emitters, sequestrators, energy majors and shipowners to develop a system which addresses the key requirements of each project including shipping profiles, loading and discharging terminal parameters, cargo composition and volumes. This holistic approach improves efficiency of operations and makes ecoCO2^® a valuable asset for each CCUS project.

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Through life support

We have a dedicated service department available to support the vessels throughout their lives. This support can range from on-vessel attendances to remote support/ data analytics, as well as support during key maintenance milestones such as during a vessels dry dock period.

In-service support

Service engineer availability at key locations globally
Dedicated personnel aligned to vessel for continuity of support
On-board system health checks
In-person training, on-board the vessel and in classrooms
Dedicated service centre locations to support vessels and operators

Remote support

Remote monitoring of systems in service
Plant performance analytics and performance reports
Online training material accessible anywhere in the world

Maintenance and dry dock support

Service engineer availability during planned maintenance, e.g. dry docks
Pre-dry dock inspection of the plant to ensure efficient and targeted work during dry dock period
Operational service hubs across the globe (Europe, Asia, USA, Middle East)
Retrofit and system upgrades