UK shipowner Purus Marine has expanded its fleet of 98,000 cu m very large ethane carriers (VLEC) to three vessels, with the order of an additional vessel from Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) in South Korea. The vessel, costing $172m, will feature dual-fuel ethane engines and will deliver in 2027 directly into a long-term time charter.
Fast-growing Purus, established in 2020, has been involved in over 60 deals in various shipping segments, including ammonia, LNG, offshore wind, carbon capture and scrubber-fitted containerships and electric ferries.
With January not quite over, HHI, South Korea’s largest shipbuilder, has already achieved one-quarter of its annual sales target of $13.5bn.