On January 5, China State Shipbuilding Corporation’s Jiangnan Shipyard announced the successful signing of a contract with Singapore-based shipowner Eastern Pacific Shipping (EPS) for the construction of two Very Large Ammonia Carriers (VLACs).
It is reported that the two new vessels are post-Panamax, with a capacity of 90,000 cubic meters. Featuring a new-generation low-resistance hull design, this ship type achieves a balance between maximizing cargo capacity and minimizing navigation resistance by optimizing bow and stern profiles and waterline distribution—all while meeting the dimensional constraints of the Old Panama Canal.
This significantly enhances overall operational efficiency. Their core LPG dual-fuel propulsion system reduces CO₂ emissions by approximately 20% and SOx emissions by nearly 99% compared to conventional fuel systems, meeting the emission requirements of Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) Phase III. This significantly enhances overall operational efficiency. Their core LPG dual-fuel propulsion system reduces CO₂ emissions by approximately 20% and SOx emissions by nearly 99% compared to conventional fuel systems, meeting the emission requirements of Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) Phase III.
With a 60-year history, EPS is one of the world’s largest independent shipowners. Headquartered in Singapore, it employs 7,000 seafarers and shore-based staff, managing a diversified fleet centered on four vessel types: container ships, dry bulk carriers, liquefied gas carriers, and oil tankers, with a total deadweight tonnage of 31 million.
In 2023, EPS partnered with Jiangnan Shipyard for the first time to order six 93,000 m³ VLACs, the largest of their kind globally at the time. In 2024, the two parties joined forces again to order six 150,000 m³ Ultra Large Ethane Carriers (ULECs), the world’s largest vessels of this type.
Jiangnan Shipyard stated that this collaboration with EPS to build the world’s largest Panamax VLAC further enhances both parties’ competitiveness in the ultra-large liquefied gas carrier sector.
Notably, in early December 2025, Jiangnan Shipyard has signed a contract with Tianjin Southwest Shipping for the construction of two 90,000 m³ VLACs. Each vessel is valued at approximately $114.5 million, with the total value of the two newbuildings reaching about $229 million. Delivery is scheduled for 2028.