China Merchants Energy Shipping (CMES), a unit of China Merchants Group, has placed an order for two more 175,000-cbm LNG tankers at Dalian Shipbuilding Industry (DSIC).
CMES said in a statement it signed the shipbuilding deals on May 26 for the two LNG carriers and also two methanol-ready Aframax tankers.
The firm said it will pay $235 million for each of the 299.7 meters long LNG carriers and $59.15 million for each of the Aframax tankers.
This puts the total price tag for the four ships to $588.3 million.
CMES said it will take delivery of the LNG carriers during the second half of 2026 and the first half of 2027, while the Aframax tankers will join its fleet during 2026.
According to CMES, the LNG carrier’s propulsion system adopts an LNG dual-fuel low-speed main engine and is equipped with iCER, while both of the vessels will feature GTT’s Mark III Flex membrane containment system.
Earlier this month, the company’s board approved the construction of two LNG carriers with a capacity of 175,000 cbm, authorizing the management to sign the shipbuilding deals in “due course”.
CMES did not reveal the yard or the price tag, but shipbuilding sources told LNG Prime at the time that DSIC will build these vessels for about $235 million per ship.
The company now has eight LNG carriers with a capacity of 175,000 cbm on order at CSSC’s DSIC and all of these LNG carriers will have GTT’s Mark III Flex membrane containment system.