AET Chooses LNG Dual Fuel Option for Aframax Newbuilds

Singapore-headquartered owner and operator of petroleum and chemical tankers AET has decided to equip up to four of its new Aframax tankers currently being built by South Korean shipbuilder Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) with the liquefied natural gas (LNG) dual fuel option.

The 113,000 dwt vessels, scheduled for delivery from Q3 2018, will replace existing tonnage as part of the company’s ongoing fleet renewal program.

AET, part of Malaysian energy shipping corporation MISC Berhad, anticipates that up to half of its Aframax fleet and other petroleum assets, including very large crude carriers (VLCCs), will also adopt the LNG dual fuel option over the next few years.

Fitted with twin LNG tanks, the vessels will be able to trade on LNG fuel for about a month before refueling and will likely operate in North America, Northwest Europe and Asia, AET said.

Apart from the dual fuel LNG engines, the new Aframaxes will be fitted with a range of eco solutions aimed at maximizing fuel efficiency and minimizing their emission impact. Additionally, they will be fitted with an International Maritime Organization (IMO) -compliant ballast water management system, according to the company.

The company said it has been working on a Green Sustainable Agenda to control the emission of particulate matters (PM), sulfur oxides (SOx), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and carbon (CO2).

AET anticipates significant growth in the global fleet of LNG-fuelled vessels, having conducted its own LNG fueling feasibility study. The shipping company has also conducted a fleet review that has mapped expected LNG bunkering infrastructure expansion across strategic locations, alongside traditional bunkering for LSFO and MGO, in an effort to ensure secure supply and optimum operational efficiency across its global operations from 2020 onwards.

“We have complete confidence that LNG will play a significant part in the marine fuels mix in the coming years and we have been reviewing the feasibility of developing a dual fuel LNG fleet since 2015,” Yee Yang Chien, AET Chairman and MISC Berhad President/Group CEO, commented.