Jiangnan expanding capacity for batch construction of LNG carriers

Jiangnan Shipbuilding, a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), has started building a new wharf to facilitate the construction of large-scale LNG carriers.

According to a statement by CSSC, Jiangnan Shipbuilding held a groundbreaking ceremony on 10 August for this wharf project which aims to ensure construction capacity for LNG carriers.

The project is expected to be completed in March 2024, enhancing Jiangnan Shipbuilding’s competitiveness in the batch construction of large-scale LNG carriers and meeting the needs of new-type ship fueling and tank testing.

As disclosed, the wharf project was designed by another CSSC subsidiary, CSSC Ninth Design and Research Institute Engineering Co. Ltd.

It is located in the third area of Jinagnan’s shipbuilding production and will feature a total length of 410 metres and width of 25 metres.

Through the construction of this project, the shipbuilder expects to effectively solve the “bottleneck” that limits its production capacity and have the ability to produce four LNG carriers of 175,000 cubic metres per year.

Jiangnan Shipbuilding further noted that the newly-built wharf also takes into account the refuelling of new dual-fuel ships such as 15,000 TEU containerships and the gas used for liquid tanks tests o liquefied gas carriers such as 93,000 cubic metre VLGCs.

Earlier this year, the shipyard entered into shipbuilding contracts with compatriot insurance conglomerate China Taiping Insurance Holdings for the construction of two LNG carriers worth $470 million.

Jiangnan Shipbuilding has on order two 175,000 cubic metre LNG carriers as part of a preliminary deal with an undisclosed Singapore shipowner from October 2022. The deal is worth about $460 million and the expected delivery date is the end of July 2027.

The shipyard was also selected by ADNOC Logistics & Services, the shipping and maritime logistics arm of the UAE’s ADNOC, to deliver six LNG carriers, each with a capacity of 175,000 cubic metres, in 2025 and 2026.

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