A steel cutting ceremony has marked the start of construction of what has been termed as “Singapore’s largest” LNG bunkering vessel.
Built by Sembcorp Marine for Japan’s Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL), the bunker ship will be the second vessel of its kind in Singapore.
With dual-fuel engines running on LNG or marine diesel oil, the 12,000 cbm unit is to be managed by bunker barge company Sinanju Tankers and is scheduled to start services after its scheduled delivery in early 2021.
It will be chartered to Pavilion Energy Singapore which was appointed by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) as an LNG bunker supplier to vessels in the Port of Singapore in January 2016.
Measuring 112 meters in length and 22 meters in width, the vessel will have two GTT Mark III Flex membrane tanks which will be manufactured under a licensing agreement with French LNG containment specialist GTT.
Compared to IMO Type ‘C’ LNG tanks, the Mark III Flex membrane tanks have lower internal pressure, temperature and boil-off rate, according to the shipbuilder. This translates into greater tank durability, safer fuel transfer operations and reduced cargo loss through evaporation.