Even though steps are being taken all over the world to evolve away from fossil fuels, gas will continue to play an important role in the global energy mix for years to come. Gas carriers therefore play a critical role, transporting liquefied petroleum gas, ethylene gas, and natural gas (LPG, LEG, and LNG) from producers to consumers worldwide.

The continued importance of gas carriers is one reason why DESMI has recently relaunched its range of cargo pumps. Without cargo pumps, carriers would be unable to unload their cargo safely and efficiently, and DESMI’s pump solutions get the job done quickly, reliably, and with a minimum of energy. There is, however, an even more important reason for the relaunch: Various types of gas will, in fact, be a key factor in the green transformation and support the marine industry towards a greener future – and DESMI is on board for this voyage.

Fulfilling future gas handling requirements

“Our NDW range of cargo pumps is designed for LPG and LEG applications, but that’s just the start,” explains Martin Bro, Global Sales Manager for Gas Systems at DESMI. “The marine business is evolving fast: To reduce carbon emissions, many marine engines are already fuelled by LPG and LEG today, and we expect that this tendency will only increase in the years to come.”

Gas cargoes, too, will likely change. “We’ll probably see an increased need for liquefied CO2 transportation,” adds Martin Bro. “The evolution of carbon capture and storage technology means that CO2 needs to be shipped to underground storage locations. So, both in terms of fuels and cargo, gas will change shipping, and our cargo pumps support this evolution: They will be developed to handle LNG, CO2, and other liquefied gases, and they can be adapted for use as gas fuel pumps. In short, they will be able to fulfil all future liquefied gas handling requirements.”

A proven pump range gets even better

DESMI has been in the cargo pump business before, manufacturing and installing 250+ cargo pump solutions on carriers from the mid-90es to around 2010.

The new NDW range therefore marks a return to the market of a proven pump range. For the relaunch, DESMI combines this experience with the company’s general expertise in marine pump design and adds a range of technological advances.

“Over the years, we have quite simply become much better at building pumps, and a new DESMI cargo pump is superior to an old one,” says Martin Bro. “To take just one example, our design processes have improved through the use of state-of-the-art design and calculation tools. With computational fluid dynamics and stainless-steel casting simulations, we have achieved a highly efficient pump design customised to our customers’ exact requirements. In fact, the efficiency of our centrifugal cargo pumps is approximately 80%.”

Efficient manufacturing and global support

While the new cargo pumps are designed and developed at DESMI headquarters in Denmark, they are manufactured at DESMI’s Chinese production facilities – close to the shipyards where the pumps will be installed. This makes pump manufacturing fast and efficient, and since parts and complete pumps do not need to travel the globe several times before being installed, the process is more climate friendly, too.

Shipyards and designers not only benefit from highly reliable long-shaft deep well cargo pumps that comply with all international marine regulations and requirements. Customers can also expect full global support from the Danish pump manufacturer – from design, development, and manufacturing to delivery and aftersales service. But most importantly, they can look forward to working with a manufacturer with the experience and capabilities to support them on their voyage into a greener future.

From LPG to LNG and beyond

“Not only is sea transportation of liquefied gas still important; it looks set to be an integral part of the green transformation,” concludes Martin Bro. “Our relaunched range of cargo pumps is ready to support companies now and in future – from LPG to LNG and beyond.”