German shipping group Hartmann said it has ordered three dual-fuel liquid ethylene gas (LEG) carriers at Chinese shipbuilder Nantong CIMC Sinopacific Offshore & Engineering.
A spokeswoman for Hartmann confirmed the order to LNG Prime on Monday saying that Hartmann had developed a new design for 7,200 cbm LEG carriers.
The spokeswoman did not provide any additional information regarding the order.
CIMC SOE, a unit of CIMC ENRIC, said in a statement issued last week that the two firms had signed the shipbuilding deal via a virtual ceremony.
The shipbuilder said the DNV-classed vessels would feature MAN dual-fuel engines, but it did not reveal the price tag or the delivery date of the new ships.
Clarksons said the yard should deliver the vessels in 2024.
Leer-based and family-owned Hartmann recently took delivery of the first out of three dual-fuel LPG carriers which will go on charter to Australia’s Origin Energy.
CIMC SOE handed over the 5,000-cbm LPG-powered carrier GasChem Homer to Hartmann on December 6. The vessel features MAN’s 5S35 ME-LGIP dual-fuel main engine that operates on LPG and MGO.
Hartmann expects to take delivery of the second and third vessel of the series, GasChem Iliad and GasChem Odyssey, in the beginning of 2022 and in spring 2022 respectively.
The design of the vessels is based on the Ecostar 36k series such as GasChem Beluga, also built by CIMC SOE. Hartmann developed this design together with compatriot HB Hunte Engineering, such as the 3,500 TEU LNG-powered container vessels.
Hartmann operates a fleet of more than 150 vessels. These include gas carriers, product tankers, bulk carriers, pneumatic cement carriers, container ships, and multi-purpose vessels, according to its website.