Cosco Shipping Energy Transportation’s LNG carrier, Ocean Inspiration, which will serve a charter deal with Sinochem, has completed its trials, according to Chinese shipbuilder Hudong-Zhonghua.
Following completion of the “two-in-one” trial, the LNG carrier (H1892A) returned to Hudong-Zhonghua’s yard on Changxing Island on April 23, the CSSC-controlled shipbuilder said in a statement.
Hudong-Zhonghua did not say when it expects to deliver the vessel.
The shipbuilder officially started construction on this vessel in August 2023.
This is the first of two 174,000-cbm LNG carriers Hudong-Zhonghua built for the Sinochem project.
The LNG carrier is 295 meters long, 45 meters wide, and has a speed of 19.5 knots.
In May 2022, Cosco’s shipping arm signed shipbuilding deals for two LNG carriers worth about $430 million with compatriot Hudong-Zhonghua.
LNG Hong Kong, a unit of Cosco Shipping, entered the deals with CSSC’s Hudong-Zhonghua and China Shipbuilding Trading.
Under the contracts, Hudong-Zhonghua will deliver these vessels on or before October 31, 2025 and March 31, 2026, respectively.
Following delivery, the vessels will serve long-term charter deals with a Singapore-based shipping unit of China’s Sinochem.