NEW
ecoAPEX™
Advanced performance extraction
Why use energy twice?
On a dual-fuel gas carrier, reliquefaction removes heat from boil-off vapour while the fuel gas system adds heat to low-temperature fuel. ecoAPEX™ (patent pending) brings these opposing energy demands together, combining integrated energy management with higher capacity compression to improve reliquefaction efficiency by up to 33% and reduce reliquefaction energy consumption by approximately 25%, under the stated design case*.
Discuss your requirements with usLNG -162°C
Ethylene -104°C
Ethane -89°C
CO₂ -55°C
LPG -48°C
Ammonia -33°C
Two opposing energy demands
A dual-fuel gas carrier does two things at once. It reliquefies boil-off vapour, and it heats low-temperature fuel to achieve main engine conditions. Conventionally, these duties are handled separately, each drawing energy throughout the operating life of the vessel. Energy is used to remove heat in one part of the gas system, while energy is used to add heat in another.
Balance the two, then compress smarter
The heat that must be removed from boil-off is the heat the fuel needs to gain. ecoAPEX™ exchanges one against the other through a low-complexity heat exchange, allowing the cargo handling and fuel gas systems to work together, rather than independently. Using modern compressor technology, a higher-capacity piston-ring type compressor then extracts additional performance, from the same input power.
Gains / Improvement
Up to 19% – integrated energy management
Balancing the reliquefaction cooling load against the fuel heating requirement can increase reliquefaction coefficient of performance (CoP) by up to 19%.
Up to 14% – higher capacity compression
Modern compressor technology provides greater efficiency, enabling capacity gains for the same power input. This capacity gain also manifests in reduced loading and cooldown times.
Up to 33% – combined ecoAPEX™ architecture
Together, integrated energy management and efficient compression can increase reliquefaction CoP by over 30%.
Approximately 25% – lower energy consumption
The combined improvement translates to around 25% lower reliquefaction energy consumption against the stated design case*.
Design case*: The quoted performance figures are based on carriage of commercial propane (5mol% ethane in the liquid phase) at 36°C seawater temperature and simultaneous reliquefaction and fuel demand. Actual performance depends on cargo composition, ambient conditions and the relationship between reliquefaction and fuel demand.
More performance can mean less plant
For ethane application, and specifically Ultra Large Ethane Carriers (ULEC), the additional performance extraction gained from ecoAPEX™ can enable the vessel design to benefit from the removal of one complete reliquefaction and refrigeration package. That creates value beyond energy efficiency alone. Less installed plant can reduce initial equipment requirement, operating energy and machinery requiring through-life maintenance. Higher system performance can therefore translate into lower CAPEX and additional OPEX savings across the life of the vessel.
Integrated when it adds value, independent when it needs to be
No additional rotating equipment. No sophisticated control
The energy integration is achieved through simple heat exchange, rather than additional rotating machinery or sophisticated control
Minimal interfaces
Cargo handling and fuel supply are engineered as one integrated system
Independent operation
The integration can be bypassed allowing reliquefaction and fuel supply to operate independently when required, including during maintenance
Benefits available separately
The cargo compressor and fuel energy-integration elements can be applied independently, with fuel gas integration available as a retrofit (through ecoEVLV™ service offering)
Improved cargo operations
Increased compressor capacity also benefits cargo operations offering up to 14% reduction in loading and cooldown times
| Configuration | Reliquefaction CoP vs baseline* | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Energy integration only | up to ~19% higher | Greatest gains when reliquefaction and fuel demand coincide. Retrofittable |
| Higher capacity compressor only | ~14% higher | Performance benefit available independently, including during loading and cooldown |
| ecoAPEX™ (combined) | up to ~33% higher | ~25% lower reliquefaction energy consumption against baseline |
ecoAPEX™ is engineered for LPG, ammonia and ethane carriers. It can operate with different cargo and fuel combinations, for example propane cargo with ammonia fuel, subject to appropriate safeguards between cargo and fuel systems.
One integrated approach across multiple vessel and trading requirements.
Proof
New system. Proven engineering
ecoAPEX™ combines established building blocks: Babcock LGE’s reliquefaction experience and proven design capability behind more than 600 installations across six decades, with a proven compressor technology, in a new configuration.
600+
Babcock LGE systems installed across the liquefied gas fleet
Six decades
of liquefied gas handling design authority
Simple Integration.
Simple Operation.
Launching at Gastech 2026
Whether the design priority is installed capacity, energy consumption, system integration or through-life operating cost, the starting point is the vessel design case
Tell us the problem. We’ll bring the engineering.
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