Norwegian independent shipping company Knutsen NYK Offshore Tankers (KNOT) has been awarded a contract by Italian energy giant Eni to build two LNG-fueled shuttle tankers.
Knutsen said last week that the two new 124,000 dwt LNG-fueled shuttle tankers would be built by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co. Ltd shipyard in Korea with delivery in mid-2022.
According to the company, the vessels will operate in the North Sea under a time-charter contract for a maximum ten-year period.
These vessels will be able to reduce emissions of CO2 equivalents significantly compared to conventional oil-fueled shuttle tankers, through using LNG as the primary fuel. There will also be installed a battery package to save energy during DP operation.
Trygve Seglem , president and CEO of KNOT, said: “ We are pleased to announce that KNOT and Eni extended their partnership in the North Sea with two new LNG shuttle tankers.
“ Eni, through their ownership in Vår Energi, has many interests in North Sea gas and oil fields and is thus one of the major players in the area.
“ This contract is the third and fourth long-term time-charter shuttle-tanker contracts between Eni and KNOT Group. “