China’s Dalian Shipbuilding Industry (DSIC) has secured its first order for large liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers.
CSSC’s DSIC said in a statement on Thursday it has signed a shipbuilding deal for two 175,000-cbm LNG tankers with China Merchants Energy Shipping (CMES), a unit of China Merchants Group.
The deal also includes an option for two additional vessels.
According to DSIC, the LNG dual-fuel ships will have a length of 295 meters and a width of 46.4 meters.
Also, both of the vessels will feature GTT’s Mark III Flex cargo containment system.
This order marks DSIC’s entry into the construction of large LNG carriers, adding to Chinese shipbuilders Hudong-Zhonghua and Jiangnan Shipyard.
Besides being the first large LNG carrier contract, this marks also the first order for DSIC in the LNG carrier market, including smaller vessels.
The yard has one LNG bunkering vessel on order owned by independent gas distributor ENN.
DSIC did not reveal the price tag or the delivery dates for the two new LNG carriers.
To remind, CMES revealed this development last year. CMES said in December it was planning to place the order for two 175,000-cbm vessels at DSIC for about $380 million.
CMES confirmed in a separate statement issued on Thursday it would pay $380 million for the two carriers while the price tag for the two optional vessels would reach $400 million.
The firm expects to take deliveries of the vessels in the second half of 2025 and the first half of 2026.
(Updated on Friday, April 1, 2022, to add a statement from CMES)