Norwegian shipowner Knutsen will soon take delivery of the small-scale LNG carrier Ravenna Knutsen following the completion of the ships’ sea trials.
Knutsen said on Wednesday it expects the 30,000-cbm vessel to join its fleet in early 2021.
The newbuild will be one of the world’s first small and medium-scale LNG carriers to feature C-type bi-lobe cargo tanks. It received its third and final tank earlier this year.
To remind, Hyundai Mipo, a unit of Hyundai Heavy Industries, won the deal to build the vessel for about $76.7 million back in 2018.
The 180 meters long vessel features WinGD dual-fuel propulsion as well as a boil-off gas reliquefaction system.
Following delivery, the ship will go on a 12-year charter with Italian energy firm Edison to serve a small-scale facility currently under construction in the Italian port of Ravenna.
Edison recently welcomed Spain’s Enagas as a partner in the facility and said the project is more than 70% complete.
Following the transaction, Edison will have 30% while Enagas’ unit Scale Gas will have a 19% stake in the project named Depositi Italiani GNL. Italy’s PIR Group remains the operator with a 51% stake.
The Ravenna facility will have a storage capacity of 20,000 cbm and an annual handling capacity of over 1 million cbm.
This is sufficient to supply about 12,000 trucks and up to 48 ferries per year, according to Edison.