Chinese shipbuilder Hantong has signed a shipbuilding contract with CIMC ENRIC SJZ GAS for the construction of what it claims to be the world's first compressed natural gas (CNG) carrier.
The vessel will be operated by Indonesia's state-owned electricity company Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PT PLN), and will be used for natural gas transportation between Indonesia's islands.
Designed by CIMC ORIC and fuelled by natural gas, the 110-metre vessel is driven by a dual-fuel main engine and has a design speed of 14 knots.
The vessel will be constructed under survey to both ABS and BKI, and has a projected delivery timeframe of May 2016.
