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China’s to Get First LNG Bunker Vessel

The first Chinese owned LNG bunker vessel will operate on Wärtsilä propulsion machinery and with Wärtsilä cargo handling and waste treatment systems. Copyright: CSDC.
The first Chinese owned LNG bunker vessel will operate on Wärtsilä propulsion machinery and with Wärtsilä cargo handling and waste treatment systems. Copyright: CSDC.

Published Jun 10, 2019 5:01 PM by The Maritime Executive

China’s first seagoing LNG bunker vessel is being built by the Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (DSIC) for an affiliate of ENN Energy holdings, one of the largest users of LNG in China. 

The 8,500 cubic meter capacity vessel is the first newbuilding LNG bunkering vessel for ENN Energy Holdings and is part of the Group’s ambition to play an active role in the international marine LNG fuel supplier market. With this bunker vessel, ENN will be capable of supplying fuel to the world’s biggest LNG-fueled vessels.

The new vessel is expected to begin operations in 2020. She will be based at the newly opened ENN Zhoushan LNG receiving and bunkering terminal in China’s eastern Zhejiang province. In addition to providing bunkering supply operations, she will also carry out gas testing services for LNG carriers and other LNG-fueled vessels.

The vessel has been designed by China Ship Design & Research Center, and Wärtsilä will provide the vessel’s cargo handling system, the Wärtsilä 34DF dual-fuel main engine, the gearbox, controlled pitch propeller (CPP), shaft generator, two Wärtsilä 20DF dual-fuel auxiliary engines, and the ship’s sewage treatment plant. 

The project is China's first LNG bunkering vessel with a C type tank. “It follows the successful delivery of a VLEC with a capacity of 85,000cbm - the world's largest C type tank. These outstanding projects and more than 10 years R&D on large scale LNG carriers, DSIC is ready for the arrival of the LNG era. We rely on Wärtsilä’s support and expertise,” says Richard Hu, Marketing Director, DSIC.