BW GDF Suez Brussels LNG carrier ready for Panama Canal

Liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker BW GDF Suez Brussels will now be able to transit the expanded Panama Canal after getting new mooring lines in Singapore.

The vessel recently spent a few days in Singapore undergoing modifications, including grinding and painting of winches as well as installing new lightweight synthetic mooring lines, BW LNG, a unit of the Singapore-based gas shipping giant said.

“The ability to transit the new Panama Canal enables the vessel to reduce voyage time as well as emissions by using the shorter route,” BW LNG said.

The LNG carrier with the capacity to transport up to 162,514 cubic meters of the chilled fuel, is a part of BW’s LNG fleet and chartered by Engie.

BW’s current fleet comprises of 21 vessels, 16 vessels in operation and 5 newbuildings. Of the 21 vessels, 18 of them are LNG carriers whilst three of them are FSRUs.

Over 170 LNG carriers have transited the expanded Panama Canal since its inauguration mid-2016, and the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) is considering the option to double the slots available for LNG carriers.

LNG World News Staff