Hudong completes 3rd Yamal LNG carrier for MOL and Cosco

China’s Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding has completed the third Yamal LNG vessel for a joint venture consisting of compatriot China Cosco Shipping and Japan’s Mitsui O.S.K. Lines.

The 174,000-cbm LNG Phecda wrapped up its gas trials on July 21 following its departure from Hudong’s Shanghai yard earlier this month.

This was the vessels’ last major test prior to its official naming ceremony.

LNG Phecda is the third in a series of four Yamal-dedicated vessels ordered by the MOL-Cosco venture at Hudong.

Each of the 290 meters long ships features WinGD dual-fuel engines and GTT’s cargo containment system.

The Yamal carriers will not directly load chilled fuel at the 16.5 mtpa LNG plant in the Russian Arctic.

They will take transshipped LNG at European terminals, previously delivered by ice-class carriers, for onward distribution mainly to Asia.

Hudong recently also said it was finalising works on the fourth Yamal carrier, LNG Megrez.

The yard delivered the first carrier of this batch, LNG Dubhe, in October 2019 followed by the second vessel, LNG Merak, earlier this year.