LNG bunkering capacity continues to expand, matching the strong growth in LNG-fuelled newbuild tonnage. Due to join the global fleet in Q3 2021 will be the world’s largest LNG bunkering vessel, Avenir Allegiance
Small-scale LNG solution provider Avenir LNG reported Avenir Allegiance was launched by CIMC Sinopacific Offshore & Engineering Co (CIMC SOE) on 27 January at Zhoushan Changhong International Shipyard Co. With a capacity of 20,000 m3, Avenir Allegiance will be the world’s largest purpose-built LNG bunker supply vessel (LNGBV) and the first of two such vessels being built by CIMC SOE for Avenir LNG’s fleet.
Flying the Cayman Islands flag, Avenir Allegiance and its sister vessel will each have a length overall of 159.9 m, a beam of 24.0 m and draught of 8.2 m, with propulsion power supplied by a WinGD 5RTFlex50DF engine, rated at 7,200 kW at 124 rpm.
Avenir LNG has four other LNG bunker vessels, each with capacities of 7,500 m3. One of those, Avenir Aspiration, was launched on 8 January. All six vessels in Avenir LNG’s fleet are being built to DNV GL class.
Avenir’s first newbuild, 7,500-m3 Avenir Advantage, was delivered in October 2020, becoming southeast Asia’s first LNGBV. Avenir LNG subsidiary Avenir (L) Pte delivered Avenir Advantage to operator Future Horizon (L) Pte, a joint venture company between MISC Berhad and Avenir LNG Limited.
Petronas LNG has chartered Avenir Advantage from Future Horizon for three years.
Commenting on Avenir’s newest LNGBV, Avenir LNG chief executive Peter Mackey said “As the largest LNG bunkering vessel in the world, Avenir Allegiance is a clear demonstration of our commitment to developing new LNG supply chains globally. It will play a critical role in helping the shipping industry to transition to LNG as a more environmentally sustainable fuel.” Added Mr Mackey, “Allegiance will operate as both an LNG bunkering vessel and an LNG supply vessel. This highly flexible vessel underscores our strategy of simultaneously unlocking multiple new LNG markets with multi-functional assets. We can deliver LNG to a broad range of customers from a single vessel, improving efficiency in the LNG supply chain and ultimately reducing costs to our end-customers.”
Avenir Allegiance is one of 18 LNG bunker vessels on order or under construction globally, with another 27 in operation to support the growing LNG-fuelled fleet. While LNG-fuelled tonnage makes up only a fraction of the overall global fleet, about 10% of the newbuild orderbook is comprised of ships using alternative fuels, primarily LNG, according to class society DNV GL. There are currently 191 LNG-fuelled vessels operating, with another 238 under construction or order.
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