Wärtsilä provides fuel and cargo handling systems for VLEC vessels

Technology group Wärtsilä has announced it will supply the cargo handling and fuel gas supply systems for five new Very Large Ethane Carrier (VLEC) vessels.

The order came from Jiangnan Shipyard, with the ships being built for Chinese owners. It was booked by Wärtsilä in Q3 2024, and delivery of the equipment will commence in Q3 2026.

This follows a similar order for Cargo Handling and Fuel Gas Supply systems placed by the yard in 2023 for four VLECs. 

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The new 99,000 metre cubed (m3) capacity VLECs are mainly designed to transport ethane and will use ethane as fuel.

As part of the Cargo Handling and Fuel Gas Supply systems scope, Wärtsilä will also provide basic and detailed engineering services, along with supervision and commissioning at the yard.

Last month, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) awarded the prototype tender for the Next Generation Vessel Traffic Management System (NGVTMS) project to Wärtsilä.

More recently, Wärtsilä announced it will deliver carbon capture storage (CCS)-Ready scrubbers for three cargo ships operated by German operator Leonhardt & Blumberg.