China’s Dalian Shipbuilding Offshore (DSOC) continues to progress work on two LNG-powered CO2 carriers it is building for Norway’s Northern Lights, a joint venture consisting of Equinor, Shell, and TotalEnergies, LNG Prime reported.
“The production of the first Northern Lights ships is more than 60 percent completed,” Northern Lights said in a brief update via its social media on Thursday.
The sister ships have a cargo capacity of 7,500 cbm and will set sail in 2024, it said.
The vessels will feature a wind-assisted propulsion system and air lubrication in order to reduce carbon intensity
This followed a steel-cutting ceremony for both of the LNG-powered ships which took place on November 21, 2022.
In October 2021, Dalian Shipbuilding Industry (DSIC) won the contract to build the two dedicated 130 meters long carriers, each with a length of 130 meters.
Also, MAN’s ME-GI engines will power the CO2 carriers.
Besides LNG power, the vessels will feature a wind-assisted propulsion system and air lubrication in order to reduce carbon intensity.
Northern Lights also recently ordered the third LNG-powered liquefied CO2 carrier.
A spokesperson for Northern Lights told LNG Prime at the time that the “first two ship contracts were awarded to Dalian Shipbuilding Industry (DSIC) but they are built by DSOC as a contractor.”
The spokesperson said that the company awarded the contract for the third ship directly to DSOC.
According to Northern Lights, the third LNG-powered CO2 carrier will cater to existing and new customers and will also share the same characteristics as its sister ships with a cargo capacity of 7,500 cbm.