Third Yamal-bound LNG carrier to be delivered by Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding

China’s Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding will deliver another LNG carrier to serve the Novatek-operated Yamal project in the Arctic.

Named LNG Phecda, it is the third in a series of four Yamal-dedicated vessels ordered by Japan’s Mitsui O.S.K. Lines and China COSCO Shipping at Hudong.

Each of the 290-metre long ships features WinGD dual-fuel engines and GTT’s cargo containment system. The Yamal carriers will not directly load chilled fuel at the 16.5 mtpa LNG plant in the Russian Arctic.

They will take transshipped LNG at European terminals, previously delivered by ice-class carriers, for onward distribution mainly to Asia. Hudong is also finalising works on the fourth Yamal carrier, LNG Megrez.

It delivered the first carrier in this batch, LNG Dubhe, in October 2019, followed by the second vessel, LNG Merak, earlier this year.

Hudong said the 174,000-cbm vessel left the Shanghai yard for gas trials on 3 July, 2020.

It added that the vessels’ construction had experienced delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The yard expects to deliver the vessel soon after the completion of gas trials.

Hudong said it is building the LNG carrier for CSSC Shipping, the financial leasing unit of China State Shipbuilding Corporation. The state shipbuilding firm is also the parent company of Hudong.

According to VesselsValue data, the Chinese yard currently has 17 large LNG carriers on order including the two Yamal vessels.

Hudong will build four vessels for CSSC Shipping, eight for Qatar Petroleum and the recently confimed three for Cosco Shipping Energy. The yard’s order book also includes two identical FSRUs for Greek shipping company Dynagas.

For more information visit hz-shipgroup.cssc.net.cn

27th July 2020