Energy major TotalEnergies has taken on its first LNG dual-fuelled VLCC under a long-term charter deal with shipowner AET.
The 300,000-dwt, Samsung Heavy Industries-built vessel was named Eagle Valence during a virtual ceremony.
TotalEnergies said a sistership will be delivered in the second quarter of this year.
When they were contracted in 2020, newbuilding sources priced the VLCCs at less than $105m each.
The major said the Eagle Valence will leverage the LNG bunkering network of TotalEnergies Marine Fuels — the company’s dedicated business unit in charge of worldwide bunkering activities for the supply of LNG marine fuel.
The tanker was the second LNG dual-fuelled vessel to be ordered.
In 2019, Cosco Shipping Energy Transportation became the first shipping company to sign up to a dual-fuel VLCC newbuilding upgrading an order for 319,000-dwt vessel ordered at Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Co (DSIC).
Welcoming the VLCC newbuilding to its time-chartered fleet, TotalEnergies senior vice president Luc Gillet said: “The Eagle Valence is the first of a broader program of six newbuilt tankers designed with LNG dual-fuel propulsion and the latest technologies to provide best-in-class levels of greenhouse gas emissions and performance.
Gillet said: “This first LNG-powered vessel is a key component of our strategy to reduce the emissions generated during the transportation of our product to our customers.”
“We look forward to receiving five additional LNG-powered ships between 2022 and 2023. LNG as a marine fuel remains the best immediately available solution for reducing our shipping carbon footprint.”
Separately TotalEnergies is chartering four LNG dual-fuelled aframax newbuildings — two from Norway’s Viken Shipping and a further pair from BW Group-controlled tanker owner Hafnia.
