Mitsui O.S.K. Lines held a naming ceremony for a conventional LNG carrier, jointly ordered by MOL and China COSCO Shipping Corporation, was held at Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding.
The newbuilt vessel was named the LNG Dubhe after a star in the constellation Ursa Major and is the first of four newbuilding conventional LNG carriers for the Yamal LNG project.
The vessel is scheduled to go into LNG transportation service for the Yamal LNG project following its delivery at the shipyard in Hudong at the end of October.
MOL delivered three ice-breaking LNG carriers to the project between 2018 and 2019, which are currently engaged in LNG transportation in the Northern Sea Route.
For the time being, LNG Dubhe will be engaged in the transport of the project’s LNG from transshipment terminals in Europe or a location where ship-to-ship transfer operations are carried out.
MOL has been operating 10 LNG carriers built in China for other projects, and LNG Dubhe will be the 11th LNG carrier built in China to join the company’s fleet.