Finnish technology group Wärtsilä has been contracted to provide its technology for China’s first seagoing LNG bunker vessel being built by the Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (DSIC) for an ENN Energy company. 

The vessel has been designed by China Ship Design & Research Center, Wärtsilä said in its statement on Monday.

Wärtsilä will provide the vessel’s cargo handling system, the 34DF dual-fuel main engine, the gearbox, controlled pitch propeller (CPP), shaft generator, two Wärtsilä 20DF dual-fuel auxiliary engines, and the ship’s sewage treatment plant.

The equipment is scheduled for delivery in early 2020, the company said.

“This project is China’s first LNG bunkering vessel with a C type tank and is another milestone for DSIC in the gas carrier market. It follows the successful delivery of a VLEC with a capacity of 85,000-cbm – the world’s largest C type tank,” said Richard Hu, marketing director, DSIC.

The 8500-cbm capacity vessel is the first newbuilding LNG bunkering vessel for ENN Energy Holdings and is part of the group’s ambition to play an active role in the international marine LNG fuel supplier market.

With this bunker vessel, ENN will be capable of supplying fuel to the world’s biggest LNG fuelled vessels, Wärtsilä said in a statement.

The new vessel is expected to begin operations in 2020. It will be based at the newly opened ENN Zhoushan LNG receiving & bunkering terminal in China’s eastern Zhejiang province. In addition to providing bunkering supply operations, it will also carry out gas testing services for LNG carriers and other LNG fuelled vessels.