China’s energy giant CNOOC will soon start using what it says is the world’s largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering vessel.
The ship in question is the 30,000-cbm, Hai Yang Shi You 301. A unit of CNOOC took delivery of this small LNG carrier from Jiangnan Shipyard in 2015.
CSSC’s Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI) converted this 184.7 meters long LNG carrier with Wartsila DF engines and TGE Marine type C tanks to enable it to perform ship-to-ship LNG bunkering operations.
The converted vessel now has a capacity to deliver up to 1650 cubic meters of LNG per hour during an STS operation.
GSI said in a statement it delivered the converted vessel in Nansha, Guangzhou to CNOOC on November 15.
The two firms claim this is the world’s largest LNG bunkering vessel.
The 20,000-cbm LNG bunkering vessel, Hai Gang Wei Lai, which works in Shanghai, China, and its sister vessel Avenir Achievement were until now the world’s largest LNG bunkering ships.
China’s Nantong CIMC Sinopacific Offshore & Engineering built both of these ships and will also build CNOOC’s first LNG bunkering newbuild.
The shipbuilder and CNOOC signed a contract worth about $69 million for this 12,000-cbm LNG bunkering vessel in December last year.
CNOOC is heavily investing in building LNG terminals, LNG carriers, and its LNG fuel business.
Last year, the state-owned firm launched what it says is China’s first coastal LNG bunkering station for ships, and also signed deals to fuel smaller LNG-powered ships.