German owner Hartmann has resurrected an order for an innovative ethylene carrier that fell by the wayside during the collapse of China's Sinopacific Shipbuilding Group (SSG) two years ago.
The 36,070-cbm Gas Narwhal was intended to be the third in a series of vessels at SSG financed by Ocean Yield of Norway, but only the first two were built.
Now the vessel has been re-ordered at Nantong CIMC Sinopacific Offshore & Engineering for delivery in December 2019.
CIMC arose from the ashes of Sinopacific Offshore & Engineering in Nantong, which was liquidated.
It has been operating under the control of CIMC Enric, a subsidiary of China International Marine Containers.
Hartmann confirmed the order to TradeWinds, but said that due to non-disclosure agreements it could not reveal further details.
A whale theme had been chosen for the three ships, given their rounded accommodation block in the bow.
The first, GasChem Beluga, was built in 2016 and sistership GasChem Orca followed in 2017.
Ocean Yield and its bareboat chartering partner Hartmann opted to cancel the third vessel after the collapse of Sinopacific.
With the engine in the aft, there is more space below the bridge allowing for 10 decks.
The mooring-lines handling area has been enclosed to give the crew greater protection and a small retractable external platform added to improve visibility when coming alongside.
Beluga went on time-charter to Saudi Basic Industries Corp (Sabic).
It was running on ethane — a world first — carried in two vertically-mounted 19-metre high tanks, but can also bunker marine gas oil, heavy fuel oil or LNG.
