Wärtsilä Gas Solutions, part of Wärtsilä Corporation, has been selected by Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) to deliver the cargo handling and fuel gas supply systems for five new Very Large Ethane Gas Carriers (VLECs), according to Wärtsilä's release.
The vessels are being built in Korea for Japanese ship owner Mitsui O.S.K Lines and will transport ethane from the United States to Thailand. Wärtsilä recorded the order in the second quarter of 2025.
According to Wärtsilä, the scope of supply covers engineering for the process plant and sub-systems, equipment, instrumentation, interface materials between the cargo tanks and the hull, and the cargo control system.
Wärtsilä Gas Solutions staff will support SHI during the construction and commissioning phases. Deliveries of the equipment are scheduled to begin in early 2027.
“Repeat orders are the clearest endorsement of the importance and reliability of our systems that lead us towards a sustainable future. We look forward to working closely with all stakeholders to make this another successful project,” said Kjell Ove Ulstein, Sales & Marketing Director at Wärtsilä Gas Solutions.
The company noted its established cooperation with both Samsung Heavy Industries and Mitsui O.S.K Lines, whose previous vessels have also been fitted with Wärtsilä’s cargo and fuel gas systems.
Wärtsilä Corporation is a Finnish company listed on Nasdaq Helsinki. It operates globally in the marine and energy sectors, providing technologies and lifecycle services with an emphasis on efficiency and emissions reduction. The group had net sales of EUR 6.4 billion in 2024 and employs more than 18,000 people in 77 countries.
Samsung Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. is a South Korean shipbuilding company headquartered in Seoul and part of the Samsung Group. It is one of the world’s largest shipyards, focusing on large-scale commercial vessels including LNG carriers, container ships, and offshore platforms.
Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL) is a Japanese publicly traded shipping company headquartered in Tokyo. It operates one of the world’s largest fleets, covering container ships, tankers, bulk carriers, LNG and chemical carriers, and passenger ferries.