Canada’s SeaspanLNG said it has signed a letter of intent with China’s Nantong CIMC Sinopacific Offshore & Engineering to build a 7,600-cbm LNG bunkering vessel.
CIMC SOE would build the LNG bunkering vessel at their shipyard in China, SeaspanLNG said in a statement on Wednesday.
The company revealed in April it had secured approval in principle from classification society Bureau Veritas for the design of the ship.
SeaspanLNG is part of Seaspan Marine Transportation, a group of Canadian companies working in ship assist, coastal and deep-sea transportation, ferry services but also fuel bunkering on the west coast of North America.
Designed by partner Vard Marine, the 112.8 meters long bunkering vessel will provide ship-to-ship LNG transfer as well as coastal/short sea shipping operations, according to the firm.
Besides Vard, Seaspan said it has partnered with the Port of Vancouver, Canada’s largest port, and FortisBC, the owner of the Tilbury LNG facility in British Columbia.
“This LOI represents an excellent opportunity for SeaspanLNG to work with SOE and to build the VARD-designed 7600-cbm LNG bunker vessel,” Harly Penner, director, fleet engineering and vessel development, said.
“We look forward to continuing to develop the design over the next months and are excited to partner with SOE to have the first LNG bunker vessel on the west coast,” he said.