Haimen-based shipbuilder China Merchants Heavy Industry (CMHI) has held a keel laying ceremony for Saga LNG Shipping’s mid-sized liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier.
The 45,000 cbm carrier is the first of two ships ordered in late 2015 by the company.
Scheduled for delivery in the first quarter of 2018, the 30,000 gross ton vessel will be the first LNG carrier to feature an IMO Type A LNG containment system developed by Norway’s LNG New Technologies (LNT), Saga LNG Shipping said.
The LNT A-BOX system features an IMO independent tank type A as the primary barrier, a conventional cargo tank support system and liquid-tight thermal insulation attached to the hull compartment which acts as a full secondary barrier, according to the company.
Based on the new technology, Saga LNG Shipping aims to build, own and operate a series of small and mid-sized LNG assets targeted at projects currently in various stages of development. Types of assets included in Saga LNG’s scope are LNG carriers, floating storage units (FSUs), floating storage regasification units (FSRUs), and LNG bunker vessels, all within the 1,000-100,000 cubic meter range.
The new LNG carrier will have a length of 195.3 meters and a width of 30 meters and will be able to achieve a service speed of 16.5 knots.