Athens: Anthony Veder has ordered an 18,000-cbm LNG carrier from Germany’s Neptun Werft shipyard. After being delivered in late 2017, the ship will be employed on long-term charter to Gasum, the Skangas subsidiary that operates Finland’s national gas grid.
The vessel will transport LNG to two LNG terminals in Finland that are currently being built at Tahkoluoto in Pori and Röyttä, Tornio. The terminals will be completed in 2016 and 2018 respectively.
The LNG carrier will have Ice Class 1A certification in order to be able to reach the northerly terminal of Röyttä, and will use the LNG boil-off gas as a fuel for its main and auxiliary engines.
“We are committed to developing cost and energy-efficient solutions for small to mid-size LNG shipping. For Anthony Veder this will be the fifth small-scale LNG carrier operating in the northern European area. Furthermore this brings the total of LNG-fuelled vessels in our fleet to seven,” Jan Valkier, CEO of Anthony Veder, said in a statement.
“The new vessel supports our strategic aim to develop the Nordic LNG infrastructure and gas market, furthering our possibility to offer a much more competitive product for end users in the maritime and industry sectors,” added Johanna Lamminen, Gasum CEO and Skangas chairman.
Skangas has chartered two LNG carriers from Anthony Veder since 2012, being the Coral Energy (15,600 cbm, built 2013) and Coral Anthelia (6,500 cbm, built 2013).
Skangas’ joint venture with Sirius Veder Gas will also charter the LNG bunker feeder Coralius (5,800 cbm) after its delivery in 2017.
