Japanese shipping company IINO Lines has ordered a dual-fuel very large gas carrier (VLGC) for charter with Austria-based provider of advanced and sustainable polyolefin solutions Borealis.
With a cargo tank capacity of 93,000 cbm, the vessel will transport raw materials to Borealis’ petrochemical plant in Porvoo, Finland. It is expected to contribute to the stable operations of the plant as the world’s only ice-strengthened VLGC of Ice Class IB, according to Borealis.
The Ice Class IB certification is awarded to vessels capable of navigating in light ice conditions with the support of icebreakers, adhering to the Finnish-Swedish Ice Class rules.
These rules encompass the specific requirements for vessels navigating the Baltic Sea during the winter season.
Thanks to its dual-fuel engine, the new vessel can be powered by both liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and low sulfur fuels. The vessel will be equipped with a shaft generator motor (SGM) system for electrical power generation from LPG dual fuel.
The company expects that this will result in a significant reduction in both fuel consumption and common air pollutants from ships, such as nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur oxides (SOx), carbon dioxide (CO2), and particulate matter.
Furthermore, the implementation of an onshore power supply system will enable the vessel to be powered by shore-side renewable electricity while anchored in port, to further reduce its carbon footprint.
This Ice Class IB vessel will be delivered in the first quarter of 2027.
At present, neither IINO Lines nor Borealis has disclosed the shipyard information and specific construction price of this VLGC. However, on April 17 this year, Hanwha Ocean announced that it had signed an order for a VLGC with a shipping company in the Americas, with a delivery date set for January 2027, which is close to the delivery time of the ice-strengthened VLGC mentioned above. At that time, industry sources said that the order came from IINO Lines.
Last year, Borealis and IINO Lines signed a charter contract for a dual-fuel liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) vessel, Oceanus Aurora. Thanks to its dual-fuel engine, Oceanus Aurora can be powered by either liquefied petroleum gas or low-sulfur fuels.
The vessel’s environmental footprint is further improved thanks to the installation of an innovative wind propulsion system in the form of two Norsepower’s rotor sails.