Bocomm Leasing takes delivery of fourth LNG-fueled tanker from SWS

Chinese shipbuilding company Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding (SWS) has delivered a new 109,000 dwt Aframax dual-fuel tanker to Bank of Communications Financial Leasing Co (BoComm Leasing).

As informed, the delivery ceremony took place at the company’s shipyard in China on 16 November. The vessel Proteus Stephanie is the fourth vessel 119,000-ton Aframax series.

Proteus Stephanie was independently developed and designed by SWS.  It is the sixth dual-fuel power ship completed and delivered by Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding this year, and there are currently 8 ships under construction. 

This ship is fitted with two independent “Type C” LNG fuel tanks and powered by WinGD low-pressure duel fuel engine, which has a cruising range of 14,000 nautical miles in gas mode. Under the gas mode, emissions of Sulfur oxides and particulates are nearly eliminated and nitrogen oxide emissions are greatly reduced, CCS said. The verified Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) is 28% lower than the baseline.

The LNG-powered tanker forms part of an order for twelve ships BoComm placed back in 2020. Specifically, the LNG-powered LR2 tankers were ordered from China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), supported by seven-year-long charter deals with Shell. The investment was worth 4.6 billion yuan ($657 million).

Last month, the company delivered the second vessel in the Aframax series, Proteus Iwona.

The last three of four ships in this series, being built by SWS, are dual-classed by both Lloyd’s Register and China Classification Society (CCS).

SWS has been working on the development of new ship types and the optimization and upgrading of main ship types. The company said that the methanol-fuelled Newcastlemax bulk carrier, the 9,200-car dual-fuel power car carrier (PCTC), and the innovative 300,000-ton crude oil tanker (VLCC) have been completed, and relevant ship classifications have been obtained.