Dual Fuel LNG Carriers to be Built in China

Lloyd’s Register (LR) has signed the classification contract for six 174,000 m3 liquefied natural gas (LNG) tankers to be built by Hudong Zhonghua Shipbuilding (Group) Co. Ltd.

When delivered, the ships will load LNG in Gladstone, Australia for a number of Chinese import terminals - Qingdao, Beihai, Tianjin, Lianyungang and Wenzhou.

Steel cutting on the first ship will be in January 2014. The final ship will be delivered in the fourth quarter, 2017.

The ships will be fitted with medium speed MAN B&W dual fuel diesel engine (DFDE) systems which will enable the ship to burn both gas and fuel oil, supplying power to twin electric motors and twin shafts. The intention would be to primarily burn gas. The LNG containment systems will be the NO96 type.

Construction will take place near Shanghai at the Jiangnan Changxing Production Line No.1, now the responsibility of Hudong, following parent group China State Shipbuilding Corporation’s (CSSC) re-organisation of production facilities.

On delivery the new LNG carrier orders will be dual classed by both LR and China Classification Society (CCS) and will sail under the Hong Kong flag.

lr.org