China’s Nantong CIMC Sinopacific Offshore & Engineering has won a contract from compatriot energy giant CNOOC to build a large LNG bunkering vessel.
CNOOC Energy Development, a unit of CNOOC, issued a tender on November 1 inviting domestic shipyards to submit offers for one 12,000-cbm LNG bunkering vessel with two type C tanks.
Following the procedure, CNOOC chose CIMC SOE, a unit of CIMC Enric, to build the LNG bunkering ship for about 441 million yuan ($69.1 million), according to a statement.
They signed the contract on December 17.
The 132.9 meters long vessel will have the capability to reach the planned Wuhu LNG inland terminal in Anhui, along the Yangtze river. It will have a draft of 11.8 meters.
Also, the CCS-classed vessel would have dual-fuel propulsion or just pure gas engines.
CNOOC previously said the entire project had to be completed by July 11, 2024.
The state-owned firm revealed in September it had signed deals to supply liquefied natural gas to 150 LNG-powered vessels.
The LNG bunkering contract is the first of its kind in China including a large number of ships.
CNOOC’s gas and power unit signed a deal with Guangdong Province Navigation Group, parent of GNG Ocean Shipping which has this year ordered 50 small LNG-powered bulk carriers at CSSC’s Guijiang Shipbuilding.
In addition, CNOOC’s unit would supply the fuel to Guangxi Jinxiang Shipping’s 100 LNG-fueled vessels, it said.
All of these vessels would only have LNG propulsion and would work on the Pearl river in Guangdong province, CNOOC said.