Haimen-based shipbuilder China Merchants Heavy Industry held the keel laying ceremony earlier this week for Saga LNG Shipping’s 45,000-cbm liquefied natural gas carrier.
The vessel is the first of two ordered in late 2015 by Saga LNG shipping in order to expand the midsized LNG carrier fleet. The company said the vessel was set for delivery in the first quarter of 2018.
Saga LNG Shipping added it would be the first LNG carrier featuring the LNT A-Box containment system, developed by Norway’s LNG New Technologies (LNT).
The 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.
Speaking during the keel laying ceremony, Jonathan Verswijver , VP business development, Saga LNG Shipping, noted that once delivered the vessel “will present the opportunity for new business models for LNG transport.”
Based around the LNT A-Box technology, Saga LNG Shipping aims to build, own and operate a series of small and midsized LNG assets targeted at projects currently in various stages of development.
Types of assets included in Saga LNG’s scope are LNGCs, FSUs, FSRUs, and LNG bunker vessels, all within the 1,000 to 100,000 cubic meter range.