Wärtsilä gas handling systems for VLECs

Under the contract, Wärtsilä will supply a complete cargo handling package for each vessels. This include the process and arrangement engineering, the deck tank, all equipment related to the cargo handling, and a purpose-built reliquefaction plant to handle C-ethane from American shale gas.

“These state-of-the-art ethane carriers require state-of-the-art gas handling systems. Our technology and know-how in this field uniquely positions us to offer the most appropriate solutions for VLEC’s, which is an application that is rapidly expanding,” said Timo Koponen, vice president, Flow and Gas Solutions, Wärtsilä Ship Power.

Wärtsilä claims to be the only company currently able to offer solutions throughout the entire gas handling chain and to cater for all types of carriers.

The vessels, which are being built for India’s Reliance Group, are expected to be the largest ethane carriers ever built. Wärtsilä says they represents “a new generation” of such vessels mainly transporting ethane as feed stock to the petrochemical industry.

Deliveries will begin in 2016.