MAN Diesel & Turbo has confirmed the first order for its low-speed, dual-fuel ME-GI engine. American shipping company, TOTE, has signed a contract with its compatriot shipyard NASSCO in San Diego for the construction of two new state-of-the-art containerships with an option for three more vessels for primarily domestic services. The vessels will each be powered by 8L70ME-GI dual-fuel gas-powered engines.

According to MAN, the two 3,100 TEU vessels will be the most environmentally friendly containerships in the world, powered primarily by liquefied natural gas (LNG). The first two ships will be operating between Florida and Puerto Rico.

The ships will be built by NASSCO shipyard in San Diego and designed by Korean DSEC, which is part of Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME). Construction for the first containership is scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2014, with delivery to occur by the fourth quarter of 2015; the second ship will be delivered in the first quarter of 2016.