Singapore’s Eastern Pacific Shipping has ordered LNG dual-fuel tankers at China’s Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI), according to shipbuilding sources.
The sources told LNG Prime on Wednesday that Idan Ofer’s EPS signed a shipbuilding deal with GSI for two LNG-powered LR2 vessels.
EPS is expected to take delivery of the ships in 2026.
The price tag of the contract has not been revealed.
GSI confirmed the signing of the contract in a statement released on Thursday saying that it includes an option for two more 110,000-dwt LNG dual-fuel LR2 tankers.
Also, the vessels will be 250 meters long and 44 meters wide with a service speed of 14.5 knots, it said.
In September last year, EPS took delivery of its second LNG-powered Suezmax tanker, Starway, from GSI.
EPS and the Chinese yard claim that its sister vessel Greenway, which was delivered in June 2022, is the world’s first LNG-powered Suezmax tanker.
Classed by ABS, both of the vessels are about 274 meters long and 48 meters wide, and feature MAN ME-GI engines and two type C LNG tanks.
In addition, EPS already has LNG-powered LR2 tankers in its fleet.
China’s New Times Shipbuilding delivered the first of two LNG-powered LR2 tankers to EPS in February last year.
The 110,000-dwt dual-fuel crude oil tankers, Clearocean Emerald and Clearocean Jade, chartered by Gunvor’s Clearlake Shipping, feature two type C LNG fuel tanks, each with a volume of 2,300 cbm.
(Article updated on June 8 to include a statement by GSI.)