Contracts to supply two liquefied natural gas bunkering ships are remotely approved by Nantong CIMC Sinopacific Offshore & Engineering Co Ltd and Seaspan ULC on Feb 25. [Photo/ntfabu.com]

Chinese shipbuilder Nantong CIMC Sinopacific Offshore & Engineering Co Ltd, or CIMC SOE and Canada's Seaspan ULC held a signing ceremony on Feb 25 for contracts to supply two 7,600-cubic-meter liquefied natural gas refueling ships and an optional additional ship.

Based in the county-level city of Qidong – administered by Nantong in East China's Jiangsu province – CIMC SOE is an international engineering company specializing in the manufacturing of high-end equipment, such as liquefied gas carriers and liquid cargo systems.

Seaspan ULC is a leading Canadian maritime transportation company engaged in vessel assistance, coastal and ocean shipping, ro-ro transport services and bunkering on the West Coast of North America.

Since the International Maritime Organization in 2020 introduced rules limiting sulfur in the fuel oil of ships, liquefied natural gas or LNG has enjoyed a broader market as a clean and efficient alternative. This, in turn, is said to be driving the market development of LNG refueling infrastructure.

LNG bunkering ships are widely viewed as a key component of global LNG bunkering infrastructure. CIMC SOE general manager Gao Wenbao said that as the demand for LNG-powered vessels increases, demand for bunkering ships will also go up.

Gao said his group was in a great position, as a leading manufacturer of small and medium-sized liquefied gas carriers.

"We will seize the opportunity, give full play to our advantages, provide customers with professional liquefied gas transportation solutions that are energy-saving, environmentally friendly and technologically innovative – so as to help improve the infrastructure of the LNG bunkering market," Gao added.