First LNG-ready engines for LR2 newbuilds

The two vessels are expected to be delivered from longstanding partner Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI) in Q4 2021. TORM has extensive experience of operating GSI vessels and has 29 GSI vessels in its current fleet.

The two vessels are the second series of vessels to be ordered by TORM with scrubbers, after the TORM Hilde and her three sisterships, which were delivered from GSI in 2018.

The vessels will be constructed according to TORM’s specifications in order to optimize trading and fuel efficiency. The vessels will have scrubbers installed: TORM took a 27% minority stake in a joint venture, ME Production China, with GSI and local Chinese scrubber manufacturer ME Production to manufacture and install scrubbers in China.

The CAPEX cost of the order is USD95m, including the extra costs of TORM’s design requirements and scrubber installations. TORM has secured financing of USD76m with an international financial institution.

The vessels represent the first vessels to be ordered by TORM that are ready for dual-fuel conversion. The dual-fuel ready engines will have the potential to be converted to operate on LNG fuel at a later stage.

The previous series of vessels ordered from GSI with a similar design, such as the TORM Hilde, were 250m-long, with a 44m breadth and a draught of 15 metres and featured a six-cylinder MAN G60ME-C main propulsion engine.