AET christens two of the world's first LNG dual-fuel DPSTs to be chartered out to Norway's Equinor

AET, leading petroleum tanker owner and operator, says it has held a naming ceremony for its newest vessels, two of the world's first LNG Dual-Fuel Dynamic Positioning Shuttle Tankers (DPSTs). The vessels, the cleanest DPSTs ever built, will emit 40-48% less carbon than equivalent vessels built in 2008, meeting the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) target of reducing carbon (CO2) emissions by 40% against 2008 baselines by 2030, and halving CO2 emissions by 2050.

These LNG Dual-Fuel DPSTs also emit 85% less SOx, 98% less NOx, 98% less particulate matter and 93% less black carbon particulates than DPSTs burning conventional fuel.

The sister twin-skeg 123,100dwt shuttle tankers, Eagle Blane and Eagle Balder, were unveiled at a naming ceremony held at the Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) Geoje Shipyard, South Korea.
The vessels will serve Norwegian energy company Equinor on long-term charter for operations both in oilfields on the Norwegian Continental Shelf of the North Sea, Norwegian Sea and the southern Barents Sea, as well as on the UK Continental Shelf.

Powered using liquified natural gas (LNG) as primary fuel, the LNG Dual-Fuel Dynamic Positioning Shuttle Tankers (DPSTs) will also be able to capture 100% of the harmful Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) which escape into the air from crude oil cargoes during loading and voyage for reuse as a supplementary fuel.

Utilising a more efficient system for dynamic positioning (the activity of ensuring the vessel remains stationary above a specified area of seabed while loading oil at sea), combined with the LNG Dual-Fuelling and VOC Recovery Systems, these vessels will save up to an estimated 3,000 tonnes fuel per year compared with conventional DPSTs of the same size.

The vessels have been constructed by Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI), for AET Sea Shuttle AS (AETSS), a joint venture between Norwegian shipping company ADS Shipping and AET Tankers headquartered in Singapore, as the owner and commercial operator of the vessels. Project management for the newbuilds was provided by MISC Group's marine services arm Eaglestar and Norwegian third-party ship management company, OSM Maritime.

The twin DPSTs will be propelled by two low pressure dual-fuel two-stroke engines, which fulfil the International Maritime Organisation's (IMO) Tier III emissions requirements in gas mode without any exhaust gas after-treatment required.

Designed for operations in the Norwegian, North and Barents Seas, these DPSTs are equipped with the latest generation of bow loading system and shaft generator with DC switchboard.

About AET
AET specialises in the global ocean transport of petroleum and operates a fleet comprising 14 VLCCs, 6 Suezmaxes, 1 Panamax, 32 Aframaxes, 4 DP shuttle tankers, 3 MR2 tankers, 5 LR2 tankers and 12 chemical ships. Its current orderbook comprises 7 vessels. The company is headquartered in Singapore, with commercial centres in Houston, Kuala Lumpur, London, Montevideo, Panama and Rio de Janeiro with a specialist offshore lightering unit in Galveston, Texas. AET is the petroleum logistics unit of Malaysian energy logistics group, MISC Berhad.

About Equinor
As a global energy provider, Equinor has more than 40 years of experience developing oil and gas on the Norwegian Continental shelf and now operate in more than 30 countries. Equinor is headquartered in Stavanger Norway and employs approximately 20,000 people worldwide.