Chinese shipbuilding mayor Nantong CIMC SOE has signed a contract for the construction of a 12,500 cbm LNG bunkering vessel with Enagás subsidiary Scale Gas.
The vessel is set for delivery by 2026, the Clarksons Hellas Weekly Bulletin reports.
The 12,500 cbm LNG bunkering vessel is designed to meet the increasing demand for eco-friendly and efficient solutions in the maritime sector. As disclosed, the ship will feature electric propulsion, aligning with the industry’s push toward reducing carbon emissions.
Founded in 2017, Scale Gas develops and manages LNG small-scale infrastructure.
Scale Gas and Norwegian vessel operator Knutsen Group inaugurated their first LNG bunkering barge, Haugesund Knutsen, earlier this year.
The vessel, chartered by Shell Spain and built by Astilleros Armón Gijón, operates in the Port of Barcelona.
Scale Gas’ LNG bunkering fleet build-up
Overall, the company has two more LNG bunkering vessels in its fleet.
Namely, in 2021, Scale Gas teamed up with maritime fuel supplier Peninsula to build a 12,500 cbm LNG bunkering vessel at Hyundai Mipo Dockyard. The vessel was delivered this year and named Levante LNG. It operates in the Port of Algeciras and the Strait of Gibraltar. Peninsula will operate the vessel exclusively for an initial period of seven years.
In addition, Spanish Scale Gas has one more LNG bunkering vessel on order at the Hyundai Mipo Dockyard. The 12,500 cbm newbuild is set for delivery in 2024, data from VesselsValue shows.
On the other hand, CIMC SOE, a specialist in gas shipbuilding and LNG bunkering, is building several LNG bunkering vessels.
Specifically, the shipyard has five LNG bunkering vessels under various stages of construction. These include three 7,000 cbm LNG bunkering vessels for Seaspan LNG.
Moreover, the shipyard is also building a 12,000 cbm vessel for CNOOC Limited named Hai Yang Shi You 302, and a small-scale LNG bunkering vessel for Fratelli Coslich, named Paolina Cosulich.
Deliveries of the bunkering vessels are spread across 2024 and 2025.