China’s Dalian Shipbuilding Industry (DSIC) has kicked off the construction of an LNG-powered containership for Switzerland-based shipping giant MSC.
According to a statement by DSIC, the shipbuilder held a steel-cutting ceremony on November 20 for the 16,000-teu LNG dual-fuel containership with a hull name C16K-13.
This newbuild will have a length of 366 meters and width of 51 meters, and can carry 16,196 standard containers.
The main WinGD engine has the iCER diesel energy-saving tech and can use low sulphur fuel oil and LNG, DSIC said.
Also, the containership will feature a type B LNG tank independently designed and built by DSIC, and a variety of energy-saving equipment such as air lubrication drag reduction system and shaft generator.
Third LNG-powered containership this year
DSIC said this is the third LNG dual-fuel containership it started building this year.
Earlier this year, DSIC started building for MSC the 16,000-teu LNG dual-fuel containership with a hull number C16K-10 and kicked off construction in September on the vessel with a hull name C16K-12.
The shipbuilder also started work on what it says is the world’s largest 13,000-cbm type B LNG cargo tank and will install the tank in C16K-10.
Designed by DSIC Design Institute, the design pressure is 0.7 Bar, the main shell material is NV9Ni/a steel, and the internal pipeline is 316L steel, according to DSIC.
Moreover, compared with the traditional type C tank, the type B tank has the advantages of high capacity utilization, flexible, and diverse design, DSIC claims.
DSIC will install these tanks into MSC’s LNG dual-fuel containerships with a capacity of 16,000 units.
LNG Prime reported in January last year, citing shipbuilding sources, that MSC ordered six LNG-powered container vessels at CSSC’s DSIC and these containerships are part of that order.