China: Stolt Nielsen’s first 7,500-cbm LNG carrier launched

The Oslo-listed shipowner Stolt-Nielsen launched its first 7,500-cbm liquefied natural gas carrier at the Keppel Nantong Shipyard in China. 

First of the two vessels with ship-to-ship bunkering capability was launched on July 20 at the shipyard, Italian ship designer and marine consultancy Marine Engineering Services, designer of the two vessels said in a statement.

Once delivered, the ships would start serving two small-scale LNG projects Stolt-Nielsen is developing through Avenir LNG, a joint venture it set up with Golar LNG and Höegh LNG.

Avenir LNG is set to take delivery of the pair in December 2019 and March 2020.

In April this year, the company decided to replace Keppel Singmarine as the preferred builder of the third and fourth 7,500 cbm carrier with Nantong CIMC Sinopacific Offshore & Engineering (SOE).

Its orderbook remained unchanged, with a total of six vessels – four 7,500-cbm and two 20,000-cbm LNG carriers – currently under construction.

Avenir has existing contracts in place with SOE for two 20,000-cbm LNG carriers set for delivery in the first quarter of 2021. The contracts also include options for the construction of two additional 20,000-cbm LNG carriers.

LNG World News Staff