Japan's MOL Names New LNGC for Yamal
A naming ceremony was held on August 19 at Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding in China for the third newbuilding conventional LNG carriers for the Yamal LNG project. The carrier was jointly ordered by Japan’s Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) and China Cosco Shipping Corporation.
The 174,000 m3 vessel was named LNG Phecda and is the third of four conventional LNG carriers for the Yamal LNG project announced in June 2017. The first carrier, LNG Dubhe, was delivered in November 2019 and the second vessel, LNG Merak, was delivered in January 2020 at the same shipyard, MOL said on August 20 in a statement.
MOL has been operating 13 LNG carriers built in China for other projects, and LNG Phecda will become the 14th LNG carrier built in China to join its fleet.
“Despite the Covid-19 pandemic occurring during the construction of LNG Phecda, she is expected to be delivered from the shipyard in a timely manner as originally planned, thanks largely to the help and cooperation of Hudong and the safety measures which have been taken to mitigate the dangers of the pandemic,” MOL said.
MOL said it continues the construction of the 4th LNG carrier, the last one in the series.