China Merchants VLCC newbuilds will feature air lubrication and sail assistance

One of the two VLCCs ordered by China Merchants yesterday will have a new sail assist system, the other will have an air lubricated hull (Image: China Merchants)

Marking another step forward in Chinese efforts to reduce shipping emissions, one of two 307,000 dwt VLCCs ordered yesterday by Hong Kong headquartered China Merchants Group will have an air-lubricated hull and the other a newly-developed auxiliary sail assistance system.

The ships will be built by China Shipbuilding Group’s Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Corporation. The order was signed yesterday in a three-way virtual signing ceremony with participants in Beijing, Dalian and Hong Kong. Those attending included Sun Wei, deputy general manager of China Shipbuilding Group, Wang Hong, deputy general manager of China Merchants Group, and Xie Chunlin, chairman of China Merchants Shipping, while Yang Zhizhong, general manager of China Shipbuilding Corporation, and Wang Yongxin, general manager of China Merchants Shipping Group signed the contract.

The order for the two VLCCs follows an order for four VLCCs placed by China Merchants with China Shipbuilding in November last year.