‘World’s first’ LNG dual-fuel Suezmax tanker joins Eastern Pacific’s fleet

Singapore-based shipowner Eastern Pacific Shipping has taken delivery of what is said to be the world’s first liquefied natural gas (LNG) dual-fuel Suezmax tanker – the 157,300 dwt Greenway.

The 274-metre vessel was built at Guangzhou Shipyard International, part of China State Shipbuilding Corporation.

According to the shipbuilder’s vice president, William Zhou, the Greenway can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about 23%, nitrogen oxide emissions by about 90%, and particulate matter and sulfur oxide emissions by 99% when propelled in LNG mode.

The vessel features a MAN B&W 6G70ME-C10.5-GI HPSCR (Tier III) engine and is driven by a high-pressure LNG system with fuel gas piping design pressure up to 350 bar, and test pressure up to 525 bar.

The newbuild is the latest addition to the shipping company’s fleet of dual-fuel vessels.

In 2021, EPS expanded its fleet to over 19 million dwt under management by closing 50 asset deals across its three core segments of containerships, dry bulk, and tanker vessels.

At the time, 62 of EPS’ 192 vessels were dual-fueled ships powered by alternative marine fuel and the company said it expects over 50 more in the next three years.

The company has continued ordering and taking delivery of dual-fuel and energy-efficient newbuild vessels also this year.

In May, STL Yangtze, the first of the company’s six new very large ethane carriers (VLECs) was delivered by South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI).

Together with its sister vessels, the 98,000 cbm ship will carry ethane between the US Gulf Coast to STL’s plant in Lianyungang, China.

This year, EPS decided to make a further contribution to the energy transition by banning coal shipments on its commercially managed bulkers.

Along the lines of its commitment to the energy transition, Eastern Pacific also contracted Dutch maritime technology company Value Maritime (VM) to install carbon capture and filtering systems on two medium-range (MR) tankers.

The installation of the first system is scheduled to be completed within 2022 which will allows vessels to capture up to 40% of CO2 emissions today, with the potential of exceeding 90% in the future.

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