Mining giant Anglo American has named two LNG-powered bulk carriers during a ceremony held on Tuesday at China’s Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding.
The LNG dual-fuel bulk carriers in question are the 190,000-dwt Ubuntu Empathy and its sister vessel Ubuntu Humanity, according to a statement by CSSC’s SWS.
SWS launched these two ships in January this year.
Besides the naming ceremony, the shipbuilder said that it has delivered Ubuntu Empathy as well.
Anglo American’s shipping unit ordered six vessels directly at SWS for about $60 million per vessel.
However, the firm sold two of these ships, Ubuntu Community and Ubuntu Unity, to Greece’s Maran Dry Management, part of Angelicoussis Shipping Group, and took them on charter.
According to VesselsValue data, Anglo American also sold Ubuntu Humanity and Ubuntu Empathy to China’s Bank of Communications Financial Leasing Co (Bocomm Leasing) in December last year and took them on charter. This is also the case with Ubuntu Liberty and Ubuntu Sincerity, the data shows.
Besides these six vessels, SWS also delivered four LNG-powered bulkers to Taiwan’s shipowner U-Ming and these vessels will go on charter to Anglo American as well.
In January, Anglo American said that the company’s first chartered LNG-powered bulker, Ubuntu Harmony, had loaded its first cargo of iron ore in South Africa.
Anglo American expects to introduce all of the ten vessels to its chartered fleet during the course of 2023 and 2024.