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ESL Shipping Ltd and Sinotrans & CSC Shipbuilding Industry Corporation have agreed to assign the construction of ESL Shipping's two energy-efficient LNG-fuelled bulk carriers to Sinotrans & CSC Shipbuilding's main yard, Jinling Shipyard, located in Nanjing, China.

The new, ice-class 1A ships will be two of the first large LNG-fuelled bulk carriers in the world. They are scheduled to start operating in the Baltic Sea during first half of 2018 - a few months after another large LNG-powered bulker, currently being built in South Korea, is completed towards the end of 2017.

For the ESL ships, carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions per tonne of cargo transported are expected to be reduced by more than 50 percent compared to existing vessels.

"We are extremely pleased with competence of Sinotrans & CSC Shipbuilding. Together with Jinling Shipyard, we shall make shipping more sustainable and environmentally aware than ever before", said Mikki Koskinen, Managing Director of ESL Shipping.

Features of the new vessels

They will be powered by LNG and created with cargo hulls designed for rapid onloading and offloading. The bulkers are to be used to deliver raw materials to power generation companies and heavy industries around the Baltic region.

The specifications for the ships are as follows:

- 25,600 dwt

- 400-cubic-metre LNG fuel tanks

- Satisfies IMO Phase 3 environmental mandates

- Modified B.Delta26LNG bulker design

- Optimized hull form

Design

For the concept and design of the ships, ESL Shipping chose to work with Finnish ship design company Deltamarin.

Designs submitted to DNV GL have received their classification as large LNG-powered bulk carrier vessels. These are the first vessels that will be built to the newest DNV GL general dry cargo ship rules.

In addition to these classifications, the vessels will also hold DNV GL Ice Class IA notations, as they are to be used in the wintery conditions around the Baltic region.

About the companies

Based in Helsinki, Finland, ESL Shipping is a carrier of dry bulk cargoes in the Baltic Sea region. The company's main clients are in the steel, power generation and chemical industries.

Sinotrans & CSC Shipbuilding is one of the wholly owned state subsidiary enterprises of China Merchants Group and also is one of the largest shipbuilding businesses in China.