CSSC Shipping’s third LNG carrier aces gas trials

China’s Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding has completed gas trials of the third LNG carrier built for CSSC Shipping, the financial leasing entity of China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC).

Hudong-Zhonghua said the vessel completed the gas trial in only five days and returned to the yard on 11 August, breaking the company’s record for the shortest gas trial of a large-scale LNG carrier.

The groundbreaking ceremony for the vessel was held on 23 December 2021 with the expected delivery date set for the first quarter of 2024.

The 178,000 cubic meter LNG carrier named Wen Cheng has a total length of 295 meters, a width of 45 meters, and a depth of 26.25 meters.

This is the third of four LNG carriers ordered by CSSC Shipping at the Chinese shipyard. The first two units, MU LAN and Guiying, were already delivered. The fourth vessel was also launched earlier this year.

All ships belong to Hudong-Zhonghua’s fourth-generation LNG ship type X-DF series, which is propelled by dual-fuel low-speed diesel engines and equipped with environmental protection selective catalytic reduction (SCR) device.

They are designed to meet the most stringent International Maritime Organization IMO TIER III environmental protection requirements and meet the IMO’s most stringent emission standards.

The shipbuilder also noted that it is currently building five large-scale LNG ships at the same time as part of its efforts to accelerate the construction speed and achieve its goal of doubling the production capacity of LNG carriers.