On June 3, Yangzi Xinfu Shipbuilding, a subsidiary of Yangzijiang Shipbuilding Group, delivered the first 100,000 m³ Very Large Ethane Carrier (VLEC) “ACS SP VOYAGER” custom-built for SP Chemicals.
Construction of the “ACS SP VOYAGER” began in mid-March 2025, and the vessel was delivered on May 29, 2026.
Yangzijiang Shipbuilding stated that the successful delivery of the vessel marks a key breakthrough for the company in the research, development, and construction of specialty gas carriers, and successfully opens up the high-end VLEC market segment. As the first private shipyard in China to venture into VLEC construction, this achievement effectively rounds out the company’s portfolio of high-end specialty vessels.
According to reports, this vessel is the first of five 100,000 m³ VLECs being built by Yangzijiang Shipbuilding for the shipowner SP Chemicals. Classed by the French Bureau Veritas (BV), the vessel has an overall length of 229.90 meters, a beam of 36.50 meters, and a draft of 22.50 meters. This vessel serves as a benchmark in the global high-end energy shipping sector, characterized by high technical barriers, significant construction challenges, and outstanding economic value. It is capable of safely transporting high-end chemical feedstocks such as ultra-low-temperature liquefied ethane, ethylene, and LPG at -104°C, and can simultaneously carry two types of liquid cargo.
This vessel is compliant with global industry standards for liquefied gas terminal operations and meets the dimensional requirements of the Houston Waterway. It is an ethane carrier characterized by high cargo capacity, low evaporation rates, low energy consumption, high reliability, environmental friendliness, versatility, and excellent economic efficiency.
The vessel is equipped with an IMO Type B cargo containment system and has a total cargo capacity of 100,000 cubic meters (including two 500-cubic-meter deck/fuel tanks). It offers key advantages such as low evaporation rates, flexible loading without liquid level restrictions, strong anti-sloshing performance, high safety redundancy, and low operating and maintenance costs. It is also equipped with advanced features such as an energy-efficient propulsion system, intelligent liquid cargo management, continuous level monitoring, and emergency safety protection. These significantly reduce carbon and sulfur oxide emissions, aligning with international maritime green and low-carbon standards while ensuring safety, environmental sustainability, and operational efficiency.
The vessel’s hull lines, propeller, and rudder have been extensively optimized to deliver exceptional fuel (and gas) efficiency. It is equipped with energy-saving devices installed both upstream and downstream of the propeller, as well as a high-power shaft generator. With a design speed of 16 knots, it complies with NOx Tier III emissions standards in both fuel and gas modes and meets EEDI Phase III energy efficiency requirements.