The ORLEN Group has expanded its liquefied natural gas (LNG) fleet with the addition of two new carriers, Józef Piłsudski and Ignacy Jan Paderewski, according to the company's release.
The naming ceremony took place at the Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries shipyard in Mokpo, South Korea, with Polish athletes Anita Włodarczyk and Natalia Partyka serving as godmothers.
Each vessel has a capacity of approximately 70,000 tonnes of LNG, equivalent to about 100 million cubic meters of natural gas in its gaseous state—sufficient to meet the weekly consumption of all Polish households.
The carriers are chartered for a period of 10 years, with an option to extend, and are designed to operate at nearly all LNG terminals worldwide. They feature advanced technologies, including integrated power management systems, onboard reliquefaction technology to recover boil-off gas, and dual-fuel engines capable of running on both marine diesel and natural gas, ensuring compliance with current and future environmental standards.
Ireneusz Fąfara, President of the Management Board of ORLEN, stated, "We are building Poland’s energy security and independence. We have adopted and are implementing a supply diversification strategy that leverages our own LNG fleet. By next year, it will grow to as many as eight vessels."
ORLEN Group is a Polish multinational oil and gas company, ORLEN is involved in the extraction, refining, and distribution of petroleum, natural gas, and related products.
Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries is a South Korean shipbuilding company specializing in the construction of various types of vessels, including LNG carriers.