China Proves LNG Carrier Ship Building Capability

China Proves LNG Carrier Ship Building Capability
Hudong-Zhong Shipbuilding (Group) Co., Ltd at Shanghai, China has delivered the first Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Carrier ‘Dapeng Sun’ built in China. The LNG Carrier was delivered to China LNG Transportation Holding Co., So far only some shipyards in Japan, the Republic of Korea and some European nations have the capability to build special-purpose tankers. Now China has proved its capability to build LNG Carrier. The vessel has been built under an agreement between Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding and Aker Yards in France. The design and technical assistance throughout the entire construction and testing period was provided by Aker Yards.

The interesting features of Dapeng Sun are:

* construction of the first LNG carrier was started late in 2004
* 292 meters long and 43.35 wide
* has a capacity of 147,210 cubic meters (about 70,000 tons)
* costs US$160 million
* can cool down the gas to minus 163 degrees Celsius to allow it to be condensed to a liquid under pressure
* the ship is ABS classed and has a No.96 membrane containment system (under license of GTT).
* the ship will carry LNG from Australia to LNG receiving terminal at Guangdong Province, partly replacing the service now offered by foreign-flagged vessels

Dapeng Sun will commence her maiden voyage on April 10, to Australia to load LNG. Four more LNG Carriers are going to be built by the shipyard.