France-based Total says it is pursuing its strategy to slash emissions in maritime transportation, by chartering four Aframax-type vessels equipped with LNG propulsion.
These vessels, each with a capacity of 110,000 tons of crude oil or refined products, will join Total’s time-chartered fleet in 2023.
Furthermore, Total said it chartered the first two vessels from BW’s Hafnia and the remaining two from Viken Shipping.
The vessels feature the “most efficient” LNG propulsion technologies to reduce emissions.
This will allow a reduction of more than 5,000 tons per year of CO2 emissions per ship compared to conventional vessels, according to Total.
Total’s bunkering unit will be in charge to fuel the LNG-powered ships.
“This chartering contract is in line with our climate ambition and will contribute to our net zero carbon neutrality target by 2050 or before,” Luc Gillet, Senior VP Shipping at Total, said.
Worth mentioning here, this contract follows a similar one, signed earlier this year, for two LNG-powered very large crude carriers scheduled for delivery in 2022.
Total will charter these VLCCs from Malaysian shipowner AET.
Hafnia reveals more details
Hafnia, a unit of Singapore-based gas shipping giant BW, said in a separate statement it ordered the two Total-chartered vessels via its Vista JV with CSSC Shipping.
Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI) will build the two dual-fuel Aframax-type LR2 vessels.
Each tanker will be 250 metres long with 12 cargo tanks, enabling a carrying capacity of 110,000 DWT or 133,500 cbm.
Featuring LNG fuel capacity of 3,600 cbm, the vessels will have a range of 13,500 nautical miles when sailing on chilled fuel at 14.5 knots, according to Hafnia.
