China’s Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding has almost completed two LNG-powered bulk carriers it is building for Taiwan’s shipowner U-Ming and charterer Anglo American.
SWS said in a statement that the first 190,000-dwt dual-fuel dry bulk carrier, Ubuntu Harmony (H1540), had completed its LNG trials and returned to the yard on December 7.
The second ship, Ubuntu Equality (H1541), completed the trial voyage with conventional fuel and berthed at the yards wharf on December 2, according to SWS.
SWS did not say when it plans to hand over the two LNG-powered ships.
Announcing the launch of these two ships in September, mining giant Anglo American said that it expects SWS to deliver the vessels by the end of 2022.
Back in September 2020, Anglo American signed a ten-year charter with U-Ming Marine Transport for four LNG-powered capesize vessels, introducing LNG into its chartered fleet for the first time.
Besides these two ships, SWS is also building sister vessels Ubuntu Integrity and Ubuntu Loyalty.
Anglo American said that the fleet’s name, Ubuntu, selected via an internal employee competition, is the Zulu word meaning “humanity to others”.
SWS started building these LNG-powered vessels last year.
The bulk carriers are about 299.9 meters long and 47.5 meters wide and feature MAN Energy Solutions’ high-pressure ME-GI engines.
China’s Gloryholder Liquefied Gas Machinery also secured a deal last year to supply its LNG fuel system for the four bulk carriers.
The contract included the design and manufacture of two sets of type C LNG fuel tanks and LNG bunkering stations.