AET names first LNG dual-fuelled aframaxes

The Eagle Brasilia and Eagle Bintulu were named at Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI), and build on parent company MISC's longstanding experience with a LNG as owner and operator of LNG carriers.

LNG fuel is supplied through two type-C tanks of 850 cubic metres each arranged on the main deck aft port and starboard and designed for ship-to-ship bunekring. The vessels have a range of approximately 6,000 nm when using LNG as a fuel. By using LNG as fuel SOx emissions are reduced almost 100% exceeding the requirements of the global IMO 0.5% sulphur cap for marine fuel from 2020.

Both vessels will be on long term charter to Shell International Trading and Shipping starting operations in Q4 this year, primarily in the Atlantic Basin.

AET chairman, and president/group ceo of MISC, Yee Yang Chien, commented: "AET has worked for many years in close cooperation with industry partners to develop these LNG dual-fuelled aframaxes, which are amongst the very first in the industry. The MISC Group's expertise in the handling of LNG and its use as marine fuel was leveraged upon too.”

Read more: AET expects to have half its fleet to be LNG dual fuelled

In addition to using LNG as fuel the vessels have an optimised hull form with various energy saving devices such as Asymmetric Rudder Bulb, SAVER Fin and SAVER Stator.

Lars Wogen, global crude freight trading manager, Shell said: “Shell has been an advocate of LNG as a marine fuel for many years, and as an organisation, we have invested considerably in supporting the development of a comprehensive and reliable LNG bunkering infrastructure. We share AET's commitment to exceeding the IMO's 0.5% sulphur emissions requirements wherever possible, and we are very pleased to take these vessels on charter to serve our global energy shipping requirements."

AET is a pioneer in LNG-fuelled aframax tankers along with Russian shipowner Sovcomflot.

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