China’s first seagoing LNG bunker vessel will operate with a comprehensive and integrated package of solutions from the technology group Wärtsilä. The ship is being built by the Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (DSIC) for an affiliate of the ENN Energy holdings, one of the largest users of LNG in China.

The ship has been designed by China Ship Design & Research Center Co.Ltd. The orders with Wärtsilä were booked in Q1 2019.

Wärtsilä will provide the vessel’s cargo handling system, the Wärtsilä 34DF dual-fuel main engine, the gearbox, controlled pitch propeller (CPP), shaft generator, two Wärtsilä 20DF dual-fuel auxiliary engines, and the ship’s sewage treatment plant.

The integrated gas, propulsion, and waste treatment systems are designed to deliver high efficiency with stable and clean operations. The equipment is scheduled for delivery in early 2020.

This project is China’s first LNG bunkering vessel with a C type tank and is another milestone for DSIC in the gas carrier market. It follows the successful delivery of a VLEC with a capacity of 85,000cbm—the world’s largest C type tank. These outstanding projects and more than 10 years R&D on large scale LNG Carriers, DSIC is ready for the arrival of the LNG era. We rely on Wärtsilä’s support and expertise, and we look forward to delivering various solutions for our distinguished customer.

—Richard Hu, Marketing Director, DSIC

The 8500 m³ capacity vessel is the first newbuilding LNG bunkering vessel for ENN Energy Holdings and is part of the Group’s ambition to play an active role in the international marine LNG fuel supplier market. With this bunker vessel, ENN will be capable of supplying fuel to the world’s biggest LNG-fueled vessels.

The new vessel is expected to begin operations in 2020. It will be based at the newly opened ENN Zhoushan LNG receiving & bunkering terminal in China’s eastern Zhejiang province. In addition to providing bunkering supply operations, it will also carry out gas testing services for LNG carriers and other LNG-fueled vessels.