Finland’s Wartsila will maintain the 79,960-cbm mid-sized liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier, Dapeng Princess, under a new 15-year deal it signed with China LNG Shipping.
Wartsila said in a statement the deal with China LNG Shipping (International) Company (Clsico) will ensure operational reliability and provide maintenance planning flexibility for the world’s largest shallow draft LNG carrier.
Also, the agreement took effect from and was booked as order intake by Wartsila in July 2023, it said.
The vessel operates with three Wartsila 34DF dual-fuel engines, and the technical management includes constant data monitoring and maintenance support for the engines and gas valve units.
Wartsila said the full scope includes its dynamic maintenance planning solution, which maximizes the time between overhauls and provides scheduling flexibility and its predictive maintenance solution, which secures asset availability by preventing potential problems before they occur.
The tech firm did not provide the price tag of the deal.
Chinese shipbuilder Hudong-Zhonghua delivered this LNG carrier to compatriot city gas distributor Shenzhen Gas in February this year.
The shipbuilder said this is the world’s largest LNG vessel built to navigate shallow waters and can enter China’s Yangtze River and Pearl River even during the dry season.
Dapeng Princess has a draft of less than 8.5 meters and will serve the Hua’an LNG peak shaving terminal in Shenzhen, Hudong-Zhonghua said.
On the other hand, Clsico was established in July 2004 as a joint venture between Cosco, China Merchants, and BP Shipping, initially to serve China’s first LNG import project in Guangdong.
According to its website, Princess Dapeng is the seventh ship managed and operated by Clsico.
The other LNG carriers are Dapeng Sun, Dapeng Moon, Dapeng Star, Min Rong, Min Lu, and Shen Hai.
