The world’s largest very large ethane carrier (VLEC), Pacific Ineos Belstaff, has been named and delivered in China.
The naming and delivery ceremony took place on December 28, 2021, at the Shanghai Jiangnan Changxing Heavy Industry shipyard, according to the China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), the shipyard’s parent firm.
Pacific Gas of China has ordered four 99,000cbm dual fuel B-Tank tankers, the first of which is the Pacific Ineos Belstaff. According to CSSC, the 60,000-dwt vessel is the world’s first type-B Very Large Ethane Carrier (VLEC). The remaining three sister vessels will be delivered next year, according to the shipbuilder.
The VLEC, which is registered in Hong Kong, has a length of 230 meters, a width of 36.6 meters, and a draft of 22.5 meters. The newbuild has a dual-fuel main engine as well as a shaft generator that can run on ethane.
In September of this year, the vessel was launched it was built to transport long-haul ethane, but also handles other cargoes of liquified gas like LPG and the ethylene. The American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) and the China Classification Society (CCS) have classified this VLEC type as meeting the latest International Bulk Liquid Gas Regulations (IGC), the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the United States Coast Guard (USCG), and other relevant international rules.
