CIMC SOE launches Avenir’s 20,000-cbm LNG bunkering vessel

Avenir LNG said its 20,000-cbm LNG supply and bunkering vessel, Avenir Allegiance was launched at the Zhoushan Changhong International Shipyard yard in China.

Avenir Allegiance is due for delivery from CIMC Sinopacific Offshore & Engineering (CIMC SOE) in the third quarter of this year.

It will be the first 20,000-cbm vessel to join the Avenir LNG fleet and the world’s largest LNG bunkering vessel, the company said in a statement on Thursday.

Allegiance will be Cayman Island flagged and the 4th of 6 newbuilds delivered to Avenir LNG.

Avenir’s first newbuild delivery, the Avenir Advantage, took place in October 2020 and will be followed by the Avenir Accolade, Aspiration, Allegiance, Ascension and Achievement this year.

“As the largest LNG bunkering vessel in the world, the Avenir Allegiance is a clear demonstration of our commitment to developing new LNG supply chains globally. She will play a critical role in helping the shipping industry to transition to LNG as a more environmentally sustainable fuel,” Peter Mackey, CEO of Avenir LNG said.

He added that the Allegiance will operate as both an LNG bunkering vessel and an LNG supply vessel.

“This highly flexible vessel underscores our strategy of simultaneously unlocking multiple new LNG markets with multi-functional assets. We can deliver LNG to a broad range of customers from a single vessel, improving efficiency in the LNG supply chain and ultimately reducing costs to our end-customers,” said Mackey.