Wärtsilä has been awarded a contract for the supply of cargo handling and fuel supply system for two new 98,000 cbm Very Large Ethane Carriers (VLEC) being built at the Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) shipyard in South Korea, with an option for a third vessel.

This order follows a similar contract awarded in 2019 for three VLECs, also under construction at Samsung Heavy Industries. Wärtsilä’s unsurpassed experience in this field was a key reason for this repeat order, which was placed in September 2020. 

These highly specialized ships will also feature Wärtsilä’s tailormade and highly efficient reliquefication unit and a unique high-pressure ethane fuel supply system. The entire system will also feature Wärtsilä’s latest version of the inhouse developed remote monitoring and diagnosis tool Operim.  

“As the market leader in cargo system designs for VLECs, we are pleased to have been awarded this order. The ships will operate on ethane fuel, so the design of the cargo handling system is very specialized. We have a well-proven track record in delivering highly efficient solutions for these kinds of projects,” said Kjell Ove Ulstein, Sales and Marketing Director in Wärtsilä Gas Solutions.

The new contract comes as an addition to Wärtsilä’s many previous contracts with SHI, featuring among other contracts solutions for cargo handling systems, LNG reliquefication and regasification and VOC recovery systems.

Wärtsilä Gas Solutions is a market leader with innovative systems and lifecycle solutions for the gas value chain. Our main focus areas are handling of gas in seaborne transport (storage, fuel, transfer and BOG management), gas to power, liquefaction and biogas solutions. We help our customers on the journey towards a sustainable future through focus on lifecycle, innovation and digitalization.