Shipowner BW LNG has added to its LNG carrier tally by firming up two optional newbuilding slots it was holding at South Korean shipbuilder DSME.
DSME said it had won an order for two 174,000-cbm LNG carrier newbuildings priced at KRW 446bn ($376.1m) in total or around $188m each. The shipyard did not name the owner invovled except to say it was a client from the Americas.
But shipbuilding sources told TradeWinds BW LNG is behind DSME's latest contract.
The vessels, which will be built with ME-GI propulsion and full reliquefaction systems, are due for delivery by end-September 2022.
BW LNG currently has five LNG carriers on order at DSME.
The company, a subsidiary of Andreas Sohmen-Pao-led BW Group, penned its two firm newbuildings in December 2018 along with four optional berth slots which it has to declare within 2018.
Earlier this year BW was seen locking away one LNG newbuilding to energy major BP for a multi-year charter.
The latest newbuilding pair boost BW's LNG fleet to 29 vessels including three floating storage and regasification units.
DSME has booked nine LNG carrier newbuildings to date this year.
