Breakthrough Contract Hamworthy In China’s Gas Ship Market
Hamworthy Gas Systems has made a major advance in China’s broadening gas carrier construction sector by securing a contract for systems for six liquid ethylene gas (LEG) carriers to be built at Sinopacific Offshore & Engineering Co. Ltd (SOE), Nantong. Hamworthy’s scope of delivery includes engineering and the supply of cargo handling systems, a reliquefaction plant and Hamworthy Svanehøj deepwell cargo pumps.
“China now dominates the new contract market by number and deadweight and, increasingly, its experience is being turned to more complex vessels such as gas carriers,” said Tore Lunde (left), Hamworthy Gas Systems’ Managing Director, who together with with Mr. Wang Jianping, Executive Managing Director of SOE signed the agreement. “We see this innovative project as a very significant reference for Hamworthy in the small LPG market in China.”
The six 12,000 cub. m capacity ships vessels, 139m long semi-pressurised and refrigerated LEG carriers ordered by Luxembourg-based Jaccar Holdings, are being built in accordance with Sinopacific’s latest Tiger design, with delivery due from 2012 onwards. Featuring a three tank arrangement, these innovative vessels are configured to achieve enhanced intact and damage stability performance, easy cargo loading operations, and excellent floating conditions for navigation.
Designed with hull efficiency and reduced fuel consumption in mind, and also conferred ‘Green Passport’ notation by Class, the new vessel type also meets provisions set out in the Maritime Labour Convention 2006 for crew accommodation, which is due to enter into force during or after 2012. The cargo handling systems on board will also be forward looking. For greater flexibility, Jaccar has specified that the ships are capable of transporting LEG at temperatures down to -104 degrees C, where conventional ships of this type are limited to -48 degrees C. In a contract worth over GBP 20 million, each ship will feature cargo handling systems from Hamworthy, due delivery between December 2011 and mid 2013.