Russia’s state-owned Sovcomflot has ordered four 114,000-dwt LNG-fuelled ice-class aframax tankers worth a total of $240m at Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries (HSHI) on the back of charter contracts from oil major Shell.

The contracting parties said the orders will mark the world’s first LNG-fuelled aframax tankers and deliveries are scheduled from the third quarter of 2018.

By running on LNG, the ice-class IA tankers can emit 90% less sulphur oxides (SOx), 80% less nitrogen oxides (NOx), 15% less carbon dioxide (CO2) along with 50% reduced engine noise.

“We believe the winning of the world’s first LNG-fuelled aframax tankers is the proof of our world’s leading eco-friendly shipbuilding technology. As the demand for eco-ships increases with tightening environmental regulations, we will further accelerate our efforts to win eco-ship orders,” said an official from HSHI, the shipbuilding affiliate of Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI).

Sovcomflot has ordered a total of 65 ships with the HHI Group since the first order of six 41,000-dwt bulk carriers back in 1989.

Source: seatrade-maritime.com