China’s Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding has delivered the 174,000 cubic meter capacity LNG carrier LNG Merak to a joint venture formed by Mitsui OSK Lines and China COSCO Shipping Corporation as the second of four gas tankers it is building to support Russia’s Yamal LNG project in the Arctic.
Completed to Lloyd’s Register classification rules, and to be managed by MOL LNG Transport (Europe) Ltd, the new ship will be used to transport LNG from transshipment terminals in Europe to LNG receiving terminals in Asia. It is the 12th LNG carrier built in China to be operated by MOL and follows a sister ship LNG Dubhe, which was delivered by the Hudong-Zhonghua yard last year.
The two final sisters, LNG Pheoda and LNG Megnez, are to be handed over later this year.