MOL takes delivery of PNG LNG carrier

Mitsui O.S.K Lines Limited (MOL) has taken delivery of the LNG carrier Papua from Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding Company.

The Papua is the first in a series of four vessels to provide LNG transportation for the PNG LNG project in Papua New Guinea and the Gorgon LNG project in Australia. MOL will operate the Papua ship under a long-term charter for the PNG LNG project, which is operated by ExxonMobil.

In January 2011, MOL assigned technical experts to the shipyard in China and created a shipbuilding supervision team to ensure the safe and high-quality construction of these LNG carriers. Since then, the company has been actively involved in the project to build these LNG carriers in China, in cooperation with ExxonMobil.

The ship was named Papua by the First Lady of Papua New Guinea, Lynda Babao O'Neill, in a naming ceremony at the Hudong shipyard on 8 January. The vessel will be used to transport LNG for China’s Sinopec, and is co-owed by China Shipping and Sinopec.

This relationship between MOL and its Chinese partners has led to an initiative to build a further six new LNG carriers for Sinopec. These ships are now under construction at Hudong. A total of 10 vessels, including the four serving the PNG LNG and Gorgon projects, will be completed by 2017.

Adapted from press release by Katie Woodward

Read the article online at: https://www.lngindustry.com/lng-shipping/02022015/mol-receives-png-lng-carrier-159/