A signing ceremony was held in Shanghai on 25 June for a major LNG carrier project involving COSCO SHIPPING Energy Transportation, Shell and Jiangnan Shipyard.

The project covers four 175,000-cbm LNG carriers, to be built by Jiangnan Shipyard. According to COSCO SHIPPING Energy’s earlier announcement, the total investment is around RMB 6.445 billion, with the vessels scheduled for delivery in 2029 and 2030.

After delivery, the vessels will be deployed under medium- to long-term time charter arrangements to serve Shell’s global LNG trading routes.

The newbuildings will feature a next-generation twin-skeg hull design, WinGD XDF 2.2 main engines integrated with iCER and VCR technologies, low methane-slip generators, shaft generators and reliquefaction systems. The project is expected to deliver lower fuel consumption, reduced carbon emissions and improved methane-slip performance.

For COSCO SHIPPING Energy, this marks another important step in expanding its international LNG shipping business. For Jiangnan Shipyard, it further strengthens its position in the large LNG carrier segment, where Chinese shipyards are gaining increasing visibility.

The deal also reflects a broader trend: as global LNG trade continues to expand, long-term cooperation between energy majors, shipowners and Chinese shipbuilders is becoming increasingly important for building a more secure, efficient and lower-carbon LNG supply chain.