EPS Takes Delivery of Three LNG Dual-Fuel Bulk Carriers from Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding
Key Takeaways
- •EPS has taken delivery of three LNG dual-fuel bulk carriers named Mount Victoria, Mount Yulong and Mount Wuyi from Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding.
- •The vessels are the third, fourth and fifth in a series of 14 bulk carriers under construction at the Chinese yard for EPS, according to CEO Cyril Dacau.
- •Each ship's dual-fuel engines can operate on LNG or conventional marine fuels, supporting compliance with IMO emissions targets including net-zero greenhouse gas emissions around 2050.
- •LNG as a marine fuel significantly cuts sulphur oxide, particulate matter and nitrogen oxide emissions, but methane slip has raised concerns about its greenhouse gas advantage.
- •The order reflects a broader wave of dual-fuel bulk carrier newbuilding orders as owners avoid potential retrofit costs of conventional fuel designs.
Eastern Pacific Shipping (EPS), a Singapore-based global shipping company, has taken delivery of three LNG dual-fuel bulk carriers built by China's Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding.
The new vessels have been named Mount Victoria, Mount Yulong and Mount Wuyi. Each is equipped with dual-fuel engines capable of operating on either liquefied natural gas (LNG) or conventional marine fuels, giving operators flexibility in fuel choice as the shipping industry adapts to tightening environmental regulations, including the International Maritime Organization's strategy to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping around 2050, with interim checkpoints in 2030 and 2040.
The three ships represent the third, fourth and fifth vessels in a series of 14 bulk carriers under construction at Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding for the company, according to EPS chief executive Cyril Dacau. The order forms part of a broader wave of dual-fuel newbuilding orders across the bulk carrier segment, as owners increasingly opt for vessels that can comply with current and expected emissions rules rather than relying on conventional fuel designs that may face retrofit costs later.
EPS has not disclosed further details about the vessels, including their intended deployment.
LNG dual-fuel technology has become one of the most widely adopted approaches for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in commercial shipping. Burning LNG in place of conventional marine fuel oil substantially reduces emissions of sulphur oxides, particulate matter and nitrogen oxides, and the option to switch back to conventional fuels provides operational redundancy for shipowners. The fuel pathway also faces scrutiny: methane slip — unburned methane escaping from engines — has been cited by researchers and regulators as a factor that can erode LNG's greenhouse gas advantage, and the EU has moved to include methane emissions in its maritime carbon accounting under the FuelEU Maritime regulation.
EPS is one of the world's larger independent shipowners and operators, with a diversified fleet spanning containerships, dry bulk carriers, tankers and gas carriers. Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding, part of China State Shipbuilding Corporation, is one of China's major shipyards and an established builder of bulk carriers.
Source: By Tuhin Roy, ENGINE,
