China’s DSOC and Zhongnen Fuel Injection Technology to Build First Independently Developed LNG Bunkering Vessel

China’s Dalian Shipbuilding Offshore Co. (DSOC) and compatriot Zhongnen Fuel Injection Technology have inked a deal to construct a 20,000 cubic meters (cbm) liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering vessel, said to be the ‘first’ independently developed unit of its type in the country.

As disclosed, the vessel will also be the inaugural ship in China to apply an ‘advanced’ membrane-type cargo containment system. The unit will reportedly feature an overall length of 138 meters, a molded beam of 24.8 meters, and a structural draft of 7.2 meters.

In addition to refueling ships with liquefied natural gas, it is understood that DSOC’s vessel is set to accommodate future ammonia fuel bunkering operations.

According to representatives of Dalian Shipbuilding Offshore, the ship is to be outfitted with two full-rotation (azimuth) thrusters, which are expected to provide ‘better’ maneuverability and allow the ship to meet LNG bunkering requirements at various ports around the world.

As informed, the 20,000 cbm LNG bunkering vessel, set to be classed by the China Classification Society (CCS), will come with methane slip control and integrated carbon capture technology, both aimed at ‘greatly’ improving the unit’s environmental performance and, thus, ensuring it is compliant with the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) regulations.

China has been developing its LNG bunkering infrastructure (and capabilities) relatively quickly, with the aim of becoming a ‘world leader’ within this landscape.

Ports like Shanghai and Shenzhen have already passed several ‘milestones’ in this sector, while south of Shanghai, specifically at Yangshan Port, China’s ‘inaugural’ ship-to-ship LNG simultaneous operation (SIMOPS) bunkering took place in March 2022.

As Offshore Energy reported at the time, the operation involved the CMA CGM SYMI, a 15,000 TEU container vessel owned by French shipping titan CMA CGM, receiving a supply of liquefied natural gas from a bunker barge deployed by Chinese terminal operator Shanghai International Port Group (SIPG).

Worldwide, with the rise in the number of liquefied natural gas-ready ships, mainly brought on by regulatory pushes toward more environmentally friendly operations, the need to ensure a larger number of ports are capable of providing LNG bunkering services has proportionately seen an upward trajectory.

In this context, it is worth noting that, in 2023, there were 185 ports that offered LNG bunkering services. Today, this number purportedly amounts to 201.

Moreover, per Greek shipbroker Intermodal, 57 more ports across the world could soon be upgraded to offer LNG bunkering services, with new facilities opened by the end of next year.