A small-scale LNG carrier newbuilding that was ordered in China seven years ago but never delivered has been earmarked to serve as a shuttle vessel for a planned power project in Myanmar.

The 28,000-cbm Qi Yuan is now listed by Clarksons’ Shipping Intelligence Network under the name of in-service newbuilding CNTIC VPower Global.

The ship was built by Cosco Shipping Heavy Industry (Dalian) and is detailed as being delivered last month to registered owner CNTIC VPower LNG Logistics.

Industry sources said the vessel will be used to develop VPower’s planned power project in Myanmar.

One said that an LNG carrier will also be needed to act as a floating storage unit for the project. A jetty and shore-based regasification facilities are also included under the plans.

In October, VPower Group International Holdings said it had won the business from the Electric Power Generation Enterprise, Ministry of Electricity and Energy of the Government of Myanmar to build three LNG to power projects with an aggregate contract capacity of 900 MW.

The deal was done working in a consortium with a strategic partner, reported to be Myanmar’s Zeya & Associates.

Rush job

Hong Kong-headquartered and listed VPower said all of the projects are expected to commence commercial operation in the first half of 2020.

Local press reports in Myanmar detail the projects as being rushed through in a bid to try and halt power shortages during the hot summer months, when the country’s hydroelectric schemes deliver less power as demand peaks.

The LNG-to-power projects are listed as the 400 MW Thaketa, 350 MW Thanlyin and 150 MW Kyaukphyu plants.

VPower and Zeya & Associates have previously put a 90 MW power plant at Myingyan, in the Mandalay region, into operation.

The Hong Kong group said there was nobody available to speak to about the project.

The Qi Yuan has been years in the making. The ice-strengthened vessel was ordered by Dalian Inteh in 2013 for around $83m and scheduled for delivery in the first quarter of 2015.

But its handover was postponed while the owner installed a gas combustion unit to enhance the vessel’s ability to carry out ship-to-ship cargo transfer operations.

In 2016, the mini LNG ship was technically completed and made ready for gas trials, with talk of the vessel being readied to ship a cargo from Malaysia to China.

But its delivery was delayed again the following year, when China’s anti-corruption campaign affected the charter contract that Dalian Inteh had on the vessel with domestic energy giant China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC).

Shipbrokers who have seen the ship said it has been inspected by several potential foreign buyers in the interim.