Japanese shipping company Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL) has taken delivery of the LNG carrier Beidou Star from Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding (Group) Co., Ltd.
The Beidou Star is the third ship in a series of four newbuild LNG carriers that will provide transportation services on long-term charter, for ExxonMobil’s LNG interests in Papua New Guinea and Australia.
This ship building project marks a number of “firsts” – the first use of a Chinese shipyard by a foreign shipping company, the first time for a Chinese Energy major PetroChina Company Limited to participate in an LNG transport project, and the first co-ownership of LNG carriers between the China’s major ship operator, China Shipping (Group) Company and PetroChina.
MOL has assigned technical experts to the shipyard since January 2011 to ensure strict quality control and safety standards during the construction process. MOL also formed a multinational Japanese/Chinese ship construction and supervision team.
“Starting with the first vessel, the Papua, which was delivered in January 2015, the project has progressed smoothly, thanks to the cooperation of everyone involved. In addition, the trusting relationship that MOL has developed with its Chinese partners in this project has led to another, which will involve six newbuilding LNG carriers for China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (SINOPEC),” MOL said.
MOL joined this project in April 2013 and these vessels are now under construction at Hudong’s shipyard. The vessels, along with the four for the ExxonMobil project will bring the total of newbuildings to 10 by 2017.