New Chinese entrant China Bunker has joined the LNG bunkering sector with an order for up to two vessels.
The Shanghai-based company has signed a contract with Dalian Shipbuilding Offshore Co (DSOC) for one 20,000 cu m LNG bunkering vessel, with an option for a second. Pricing and delivery dates have not been disclosed.
The order is the first bunkering vessel deal for China Bunker and represents a milestone for the restructured DSOC, formerly DSIC Offshore. DSOC was relaunched in September 2023 and has since secured several projects, including a 7,500 cu m liquefied CO₂ carrier for Bernhard Schulte and four handysize product tankers for UK-based Union Maritime.
The 138-m-long bunkering vessel will be China’s first of its kind to be independently developed with a membrane-type cargo containment system, designed to meet the latest IMO environmental standards and serve LNG-fuelled ships at major international ports, the shipbuilder said.
The vessel will also include integrated systems for full LNG bunkering support — from inerting to gas testing — and will be built with future ammonia bunkering interfaces, offering dual-fuel flexibility.
The LNG bunkering segment has seen around 20 newbuilding moves in the year to date, including firm orders and optional units, as the number of LNG-powered ships is expected to double by the end of the decade. Currently, about 60 LNG bunker vessels are in service, with over 30 additional units ordered since the start of 2024.
