SIMIC

Lee Hong Liang | Jan 28, 2021

The 6,000-cu m capacity bunker tankers are scheduled for delivery in the first half of 2023.

Financial details of the deal were not disclosed. Kanfer Shipping has an option to build additional vessels.

Related: Kanfer readies cost efficient solutions for LNG bunkering

Tonsberg-based Kanfer Shipping will own the bunker tankers and charter them out on long term contracts.

“These ships will be the most cost efficient and environmentally-friendly small-scale LNG ships in the global marketplace,” said Stig Hagen, founder and ceo of Kanfer Shipping.

“Kanfer sees a rapidly expanding market for LNG bunker vessels as the world maritime industry continues to pivot towards its decarbonisation goals through LNG. The growing demand for new LNG bunkering vessels makes our decision well-timed, especially now that equivalent, newbuilt vessels to be delivered in 2022 have already been chartered out,” Hagen said.

“The need for the emergence of new LNG bunkering centres will indeed be critical as the trading pattern for gas-driven vessels will be global and very diversified. The existing hubs will also need to expand to cater for growing demand,” he added.

The bunker tankers will be designed by Norway’s tech firm CGR Arctic Marine. The ships will feature mono-tank design with minimal boil-off, pure gas electric power production combined with hybrid battery technology, high manoeuvrability with Azipull thrusters and bow thruster combined with joystick operation, and 500 cu m marine diesel oil cargo tank.