16 Methanol Fuel System Skids for Høglund Gas Solutions: Bunker Manifolds, Fuel Preparation, and Water-Glycol Systems for 4 Dual-Fuel Container Ships at GSI

Lmart manufactured 16 modular skid packages for Høglund Gas Solutions AS — comprising PS & SB Bunker Manifold Skids, Fuel Preparation Room (FPR) Skids, and Water Glycol System (WGS) Skids — for four methanol dual-fuel container ships under construction at Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI). All units are ABS classified and represent three distinct skid types delivering a complete methanol fuel handling solution per vessel.

Customer	Høglund Gas Solutions AS (Norway)
Industry	Marine fuel gas supply systems & automation — methanol and LNG dual-fuel vessels
Shipyard	Guangzhou Shipyard International Company Limited (GSI)
Hull Numbers	GSI 20110007, 20110009, 20110010, 20110011
Equipment	PS & SB Bunker Manifold Skid × 8, Fuel Preparation Room (FPR) Skid × 4, Water Glycol System (WGS) Skid × 4
Total Quantity	16 units (3 skid types × 4 ships, with 2 bunker manifold skids per ship)
Classification	ABS (American Bureau of Shipping)
Fuel Type	Methanol (CH&sub3;OH) — dual-fuel propulsion

Customer Background and Industry Context

Høglund Gas Solutions AS, headquartered in Norway, is a specialist provider of fuel gas supply systems (FGSS), cargo handling systems, and automation solutions for the maritime industry. The company designs and delivers integrated fuel systems for vessels operating on alternative fuels — methanol, LNG, LPG, ammonia, and ethane — serving shipowners and shipyards worldwide. Høglund’s systems are installed on a growing fleet of dual-fuel vessels, with particular strength in the methanol fuel segment where the company has established itself as one of the leading FGSS providers.

Methanol as a marine fuel has emerged as the most commercially adopted pathway to maritime decarbonization. Unlike LNG, which requires cryogenic storage at −162 °C, methanol is a liquid at ambient temperature and pressure — dramatically simplifying storage tank design, bunkering infrastructure, and onboard fuel handling systems. Methanol can be produced from renewable sources (green methanol from biomass or e-methanol from captured CO&sub2; and green hydrogen), providing a credible pathway to carbon-neutral shipping. Major container shipping lines — including Maersk, CMA CGM, and MSC — have placed large orders for methanol dual-fuel container ships, making methanol the fastest-growing alternative fuel in the container shipping segment.

Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI), a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), is one of China’s leading builders of container ships and has secured orders for multiple series of methanol dual-fuel container vessels. The four hulls in this project — GSI 20110007, 20110009, 20110010, and 20110011 — are part of this methanol container ship program, with Høglund providing the complete methanol fuel system and Lmart fabricating the modular skid packages that form the physical hardware of the system.

Challenges and Engineering Pain Points

Methanol-Specific Material and Safety Requirements

Methanol presents a distinct set of engineering challenges compared to LNG. While it does not require cryogenic containment, methanol is toxic (TLV-TWA of 200 ppm), flammable (flash point 11 °C), and corrosive to certain elastomers, coatings, and aluminum alloys. All wetted components in the fuel system — piping, valves, gaskets, instruments, and vessel internals — must be verified for methanol compatibility. The IMO’s Interim Guidelines for Methyl/Ethyl Alcohol as Fuel (MSC.1/Circ.1621) and the IGF Code impose specific requirements on material selection, ventilation design, gas detection placement, and double-wall piping in enclosed spaces. Each skid must be designed and fabricated to meet these methanol-specific safety provisions in addition to standard marine classification requirements.

Three Distinct Skid Types with Interdependent Functions

The 16 skids comprise three functionally distinct types, each performing a different role in the methanol fuel handling chain:

The Bunker Manifold Skids (PS and SB) manage the methanol transfer interface during bunkering operations — the point where methanol is loaded from shore tanks or bunker barges into the ship’s methanol fuel storage tanks. Each ship receives two bunker manifold skids (port and starboard), providing redundant bunkering capability from either side. These skids include isolation valves, check valves, pressure relief devices, flow metering instrumentation, drip trays with drainage, and emergency shutdown (ESD) valve assemblies. The manifold piping arrangement must comply with the ship’s bunkering station layout and the applicable port authority regulations for methanol transfer operations.

The Fuel Preparation Room (FPR) Skids house the methanol fuel conditioning equipment that prepares the stored methanol for injection into the dual-fuel engines. This includes fuel supply pumps, fuel filters, pressure regulation valves, temperature conditioning equipment, and the fuel rail system that delivers methanol at the correct pressure and temperature to the engine fuel injection system. The FPR skid operates within a dedicated fuel preparation room on the vessel — a ventilated, gas-detected, double-walled enclosure designed to contain any methanol leakage. The skid must fit within the FPR compartment envelope with adequate clearance for maintenance access and cable/pipe routing.

The Water Glycol System (WGS) Skids provide the thermal management for the methanol fuel system. While methanol does not require the extreme thermal conditioning needed for LNG systems, the fuel supply temperature must be maintained within the engine manufacturer’s specified range to ensure proper fuel viscosity, atomization quality, and combustion performance. The WGS skid circulates a water-glycol mixture through heat exchangers that interface with the FPR skid and the ship’s central cooling/heating systems, providing consistent fuel temperature regardless of ambient conditions and engine load variations.

ABS Classification Survey for Methanol Fuel Service

ABS classification for methanol fuel system equipment involves review and approval at multiple levels: design review of each skid type against ABS Rules for Building and Classing Marine Vessels and the IGF Code, material certification verification, welding procedure qualification, non-destructive examination, pressure testing, and functional testing of safety-critical components (ESD valves, relief devices, gas detection interfaces). The survey plan requires ABS surveyor attendance at defined hold and witness points during fabrication, with documentation packages that trace every pressure-retaining component from raw material mill certificate through final assembly and testing.

Series Production Consistency for 4 Hulls

Four identical ships receiving identical skid sets demands production consistency. The 8 bunker manifold skids (2 per ship — port and starboard mirror-image configurations), 4 FPR skids, and 4 WGS skids must be dimensionally identical within classification tolerances. Piping connection positions, valve handwheel orientations, instrument locations, and cable gland positions must match the approved drawings exactly, because the shipyard’s outfitting team will use the same installation procedures and connection coordinates for all four hulls. Any hull-to-hull variation in skid fabrication creates rework at the shipyard — an outcome that is unacceptable in series shipbuilding where outfitting is scheduled to the day.

Why Høglund Selected Lmart

Marine classification pedigree. Lmart holds active manufacturing approvals from ABS and five other major classification societies (DNV, BV, CCS, LR, NK). For Høglund, this meant that ABS survey could be conducted at Lmart’s workshop by the local ABS surveyor without the delays and complications of arranging classification society coverage at an unapproved facility. Lmart’s existing ABS-approved welding procedures, welder qualifications, and quality management system provided a ready-made compliance framework for the methanol fuel system skids.

Demonstrated skid fabrication capability. Modular skid packages for marine fuel systems require capabilities that go beyond pressure vessel fabrication: structural steelwork, piping prefabrication and installation, instrument and valve mounting, electrical cable tray preparation, and integrated system testing. Lmart’s track record in marine skid fabrication — including FGSS packages for other gas system integrators — provided Høglund with confidence that the workshop infrastructure, workforce skills, and project management systems were in place to handle a 16-unit multi-type skid order.

Proximity to GSI shipyard. Guangzhou Shipyard International is located in southern China’s Pearl River Delta. While Lmart’s Zhangjiagang campus is in the Yangtze River Delta (approximately 1,200 km north), China’s well-developed logistics infrastructure — expressway networks and inland waterway transport — enables reliable delivery of completed skids to GSI. More importantly, Lmart’s location within China eliminates the customs clearance, import duties, and extended sea freight transit times that would apply if Høglund sourced skids from European or Southeast Asian fabricators.

Cost competitiveness without quality compromise. Norwegian and European FGSS providers typically source hardware from Asian fabricators to maintain competitive system pricing for shipyard customers. Lmart offers European-standard fabrication quality — verified through its ASME, PED, and classification society certifications — at Chinese manufacturing costs, providing Høglund with the pricing position needed to compete against other FGSS suppliers in the Chinese newbuilding market.

Engineering and Manufacturing Solution

The 16 skids were organized into three parallel production streams, each managed as a mini-series with its own fabrication sequence, inspection plan, and delivery schedule.

PS & SB Bunker Manifold Skids (8 units)

Each ship receives one port-side and one starboard-side bunker manifold skid — mirror-image configurations sharing the same component list but with reversed piping layouts. The base frames are fabricated from marine-grade carbon steel with hot-dip galvanizing or marine coating system per Høglund specification. Manifold piping is stainless steel (316L) for methanol compatibility, with all welded joints subjected to radiographic or dye penetrant examination per ABS requirements. ESD valves are installed and functionally tested on the completed skid, with valve response times documented in the test report. Drip trays are welded into the base frame with drainage connections routed to the ship’s methanol drain system.

Fuel Preparation Room (FPR) Skids (4 units)

The FPR skids are the most complex units in the package, integrating fuel supply pumps, duplex filters, pressure control valves, fuel rail piping, temperature sensors, pressure transmitters, and multiple safety instrumented function (SIF) connections. The skid structure must support the weight of the fuel pumps (typically positive displacement or centrifugal pumps rated for methanol service) and withstand the vibration loads transmitted during pump operation. All instrument tubing and cable conduits are pre-installed on the skid frame, with labeled termination points ready for connection to the ship’s control system. The completed FPR skid undergoes a hydrostatic test of the fuel circuit followed by a flushing procedure to remove fabrication debris before preservation and shipment.

Water Glycol System (WGS) Skids (4 units)

The WGS skids comprise circulation pumps, plate heat exchangers, expansion tanks, glycol concentration monitoring instruments, and the associated piping and valve arrangements. The heat exchangers interface between the water-glycol loop and the ship’s central cooling water and steam heating systems, with three-way control valves providing proportional temperature regulation. Piping materials are carbon steel for the water-glycol side (with internal corrosion protection appropriate for glycol service) and stainless steel at the interface with methanol-containing equipment. Each WGS skid is pressure tested and flushed independently before integration testing of the glycol circuit.

Equipment Summary by Skid Type

Parameter	PS/SB Bunker Manifold	Fuel Preparation Room (FPR)	Water Glycol System (WGS)
Quantity	8 (2 per ship × 4 ships)	4 (1 per ship × 4 ships)	4 (1 per ship × 4 ships)
Function	Methanol bunkering transfer interface	Fuel conditioning & engine supply	Thermal management of fuel system
Key Components	ESD valves, manifold piping, flow meters, drip trays	Fuel pumps, filters, pressure regulators, fuel rail, SIF connections	Circulation pumps, plate HEX, expansion tank, control valves
Piping Material	316L stainless steel (methanol-wetted)	316L stainless steel (fuel circuit)	Carbon steel (glycol) / SS at interface
Classification	ABS	ABS	ABS
Configuration	PS and SB mirror-image pairs	Single configuration per ship	Single configuration per ship

Project Execution, Quality Control, and Delivery

With 16 skids of three types for four hulls, production scheduling was organized to align with GSI’s hull outfitting sequence. The lead ship’s skid set was manufactured first, with first-article inspection (FAI) establishing dimensional and quality baselines for the follow-on sets.

Key QC milestones for each skid type:

• Incoming material verification: mill certificates for all pressure-retaining and structural materials checked against ABS-approved specifications; PMI verification on all stainless steel components for methanol-wetted service
• Welding procedure qualification per ABS Rules, with separate WPS/PQR packages for stainless steel pressure piping (316L) and structural carbon steel base frames
• Non-destructive examination: radiographic or ultrasonic examination on pressure-retaining butt welds; dye penetrant inspection on socket welds, fillet welds, and structural welds per ABS survey plan
• Hydrostatic pressure test on all pressure-containing piping circuits within each skid, witnessed by ABS surveyor
• Pneumatic leak test at 1.1× design pressure on completed piping systems with electronic leak detection
• Functional test of ESD valves on bunker manifold skids — stroke time measurement and fail-safe position verification
• Dimensional verification of completed skid assemblies against Høglund’s approved drawings — confirming envelope dimensions, nozzle positions, foundation bolt patterns, and lifting lug locations
• System flushing and preservation: internal piping circuits flushed to achieve specified cleanliness levels, followed by nitrogen purge and sealing for transit protection
• Surface treatment: base frame blasting and marine coating application per Høglund specification; stainless steel passivation and protection

Completed skid sets were delivered to GSI in Guangzhou, sequenced to match each hull’s outfitting schedule. Skids were transported on flatbed trucks with custom cradles and weather protection to prevent transit damage to pre-installed instruments and valve assemblies.

Results and Business Impact

All 16 skids were delivered on schedule across the four-hull build program, passing ABS survey at every hold and witness point and meeting Høglund’s dimensional and quality acceptance criteria. The production consistency achieved across the 4-ship series — particularly the dimensional repeatability of mirror-image port/starboard bunker manifold pairs — validated the fixture-based fabrication approach established during the first-article build.

This project is strategically significant for Lmart on multiple levels. Methanol dual-fuel propulsion is the dominant decarbonization pathway in the container shipping segment, with order books at Chinese shipyards growing rapidly. Høglund’s position as a leading methanol FGSS provider means that Lmart’s demonstrated capability to fabricate methanol fuel system skids to ABS classification standard positions it for follow-on orders as Høglund secures additional methanol vessel contracts.

The three-type skid scope demonstrates Lmart’s versatility within a single project. Manufacturing bunker manifolds (piping-intensive, safety-critical), fuel preparation modules (pump/instrument-heavy, precision assembly), and water-glycol thermal systems (heat exchanger integration, process controls) in parallel — all under ABS survey — shows the range of multi-discipline fabrication capabilities that FGSS integrators require from their supply chain.

For the broader market, this Høglund reference establishes Lmart as a qualified fabricator in the methanol fuel system segment — complementing its existing LNG FGSS skid references (TGE Marine, Wärtsilä) and positioning the company to serve the full spectrum of alternative marine fuel system requirements.

Customer Voice

Høglund Gas Solutions placed a 16-unit, three-type skid order with Lmart for their methanol dual-fuel container ship program at GSI — entrusting the complete physical hardware of the fuel system to a single fabricator across all four hulls.

“The consistency across the four ship sets was what we needed for series production. Dimensional repeatability, ABS documentation quality, and on-time delivery were all maintained from the first hull to the last.”

— Høglund Gas Solutions project team (paraphrased from project review)

Note: Lmart respects client confidentiality. Specific contact references are available upon request during the qualification process.