Nantong CIMC Sinopacific Offshore & Engineering (CIMC SOE) held a steel-cutting ceremony on 21 August for two 20,000-cbm LNG bunker vessels ordered by GSX Energy Limited, bringing to four the total number of vessels in the series now under construction at the Chinese yard.

The ceremony, held at CIMC SOE's West Zone Manufacturing Division workshop in Nantong, covered hull numbers S1159 and S1160. It was attended by Luo Yonghong, site manager of classification society ABS; Guan Xiquan, representative of the shipowner's supervision company SMT, and his team; and members of the CIMC SOE project team.

The two hulls represent the third and fourth vessels in a series of 20,000-cbm LNG bunker and carrier vessels that CIMC SOE is building for GSX Energy. The first vessel in the series, S1157, commenced construction in May this year, while the second, S1158, followed on 10 August.

Each vessel in the series measures 159 metres in overall length and has a beam of 25 metres and a design speed of 13 knots. They are equipped with a Wärtsilä dual-fuel main engine and a 1,300 kW shaft generator. The design also incorporates an option for a high-voltage shore power system for future installation.

The LNG bunker vessel features a dual-fuel boiler with GCU functionality, designed with ice-class requirements in mind. While at berth, it can utilize boil-off gas for cabin heating, maximizing LNG fuel efficiency.