Turkish shipbuilder RMK Marine has laid the keel for the 112.90-metre LNG and bio-LNG bunker tanker Celsius, marking the official start of construction on the vessel.

Celsius is being built for Swedish energy company Gasum and shipping partner Sirius Shipping AB.

The bunkering vessel will be fitted with a gas combustion unit to support cool-down and gassing-up operations for LNG-fuelled and LNG-carrying ships.

The onboard system will allow the vessel to provide specialised services typically handled by shore-based facilities, enabling operators to prepare cargo tanks ahead of LNG loading and introduce LNG vapour or inert gas as part of commissioning procedures.

Cool-down operations are required to gradually lower the temperature of LNG cargo tanks before loading, while gassing-up involves replacing inert gas with LNG vapour to prepare tanks for fuel or cargo service.

Sirius Shipping AB is a Swedish shipping company, while Gasum is a Nordic energy company that supplies LNG and bio-LNG to marine customers and operates bunkering infrastructure and services in the region.