On September 26th, Jiangnan Shipyard of China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) officially started the construction of the 99,000-cubic-meter very large ethane carrier (VLEC), which is built for Jiangsu Financial Leasing and Pacific Gas.
Pacific Gas is the first Chinese-based integrated company specializing in very large liquefied gas transportation, supply chain management, and storage and terminal facilities. Jiangnan Shipyard has previously delivered five VLECs in partnership with Pacific Gas.
The 99,000 cubic meter VLEC, the world’s largest VLEC, was independently developed and designed by Jiangnan Shipyard. Notably, its core component—the BrillianceE® Type B cargo containment system for cryogenic cargo—was independently innovated and developed by Jiangnan Shipyard.
This vessel features “cutting-edge design, advanced technology, eco-friendly operation, high efficiency and energy savings, comfortable environment, and intelligent management.” With an overall length of 230 meters, a beam of 36.6 meters, and a draft of 22.5 meters, it is suitable for transporting various liquefied gases including ethane, ethylene, and LPG.
As a result, the vessel boasts low oil (gas) consumption, a low boil-off rate (BOR), no liquid loading restrictions, and low maintenance costs, making it the optimal vessel type tailor-made for long-distance ethane transportation, delivering significant economic and social benefits. This vessel has already won the China Society of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering’s Special Prize for Scientific and Technological Progress, the shipbuilding industry’s highest award.