Minerva lays keel for its first LNG newbuild

The Greek shipping company Minerva, led by Andreas Martinos, has laid the keel for one of its newbuild LNG carriers at the Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME) yard in Geoje, South Korea.

The company said in an emailed statement the keel laying was completed earlier this month for its first LNG carrier, Hull Number 2481 currently under construction at the South Korean yard.

The vessel, to be named Minerva Psara, will be capable of transporting up to 173,400 cubic meters of liquefied natural gas once completed. It will also feature ME-GI propulsion and the PRS-FRS reliquefaction system.

The company noted in its statement that the delivery of the vessel is scheduled for early 2021.

Minerva Psara is also the company’s first LNG carrier in a pair it has ordered at DSME. In total, the company has five LNG carriers on order scheduled for delivery in 2021 and 2022.