Chinese yard secures order for LNG bunkering vessel

Chinese shipbuilder Nantong CIMC Sinopacific Offshore and Engineering (CIMC SOE) has been selected for the construction of a new LNG bunkering vessel for an undisclosed European shipowner.

The contract awarded to CIMC SOE also includes an option for another vessel in the same series. The firm vessel is scheduled for delivery in September 2027 while the optional vessel, if exercised by the client, will follow in December of that year.

The same customer had also placed an order for a similar LNG bunkering vessel with CIMC SOE in April of this year.

The completed ships will each have an LOA of 160 metres, a beam of 25 metres, and a total cargo capacity of 20,000 cubic metres. A WinGD dual-fuel main engine will deliver a design speed of 15.5 knots.

The engine will be equipped with an intelligent control by exhaust recycling (ICER) system, which can help reduce methane slip in gas mode. By cooling and recirculating the exhaust gas, the ICER system will allow some of the methane in the exhaust gas to be re-combusted, thus further reducing emissions.