Eastern Pacific Shipping receives eco-friendly VLGC from Samsung Heavy Industries

September 9, 2025, by Sara Kosmajac

Singapore-based shipowner Eastern Pacific Shipping (EPS) has taken delivery of an environmentally friendly very large gas carrier (VLGC) from South Korea’s shipbuilding heavyweight Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI).

As disclosed in a social media post, the vessel—christened Rosablanche—was handed over fitted with Babcock International Group’s LGE business’s cargo handling system (CHS), as well as the company’s fuel gas supply system (FGSS) that was engineered to deliver liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) as a fuel to the engines.

The CHS handles the transfer and storage of various liquefied gases, officials from Babcock elaborated, with the systems having been integrated to ‘enhance’ the newbuilding’s efficiency and lower the environmental footprint.

As informed, the completion of the gas carrier also marks the first instance of collaboration between Babcock and Samsung Heavy Industries.

To remind, Eastern Pacific Shipping marked the naming ceremony of its first dual-fuel LPG very large gas carrier, the 86,000 cubic meters (cbm) MV Logan Explorer, back in August 2023. Constructed by South Korea’s major HD Hyundai Samho, the unit was initially chartered to Trafigura.

Just months prior to that, namely in April 2023, shipbroking sources indicated that EPS had signed up for a pair of dual-fuel 93,000 cbm VLGCs at HD Hyundai Samho and two more at SHI, with delivery dates scheduled for 2026.

At the time, the Singaporean maritime transport player already had another duo of VLGCs, featuring an 88,000 cbm capacity, on order at Samsung Heavy Industries. The handover for these units was slated for this year.

Moreover, in August 2024, EPS continued expanding its gas carrier fleet, having tapped Jiangnan Shipyard, an arm of China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), for the construction of a sextet of 150,000 cbm ultra-large ethane carriers.

As informed, the ships are planned to be handed over equipped with energy-saving devices in 2027.

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On the other hand, SHI’s current orderbook spans multiple contracts in the gas carrier segment. For instance, in January 2024, the company was commissioned by undisclosed owners based in the Oceania region for two LPG/ammonia carriers, to be turned over by the end of November 2027.

The following month, Samsung Heavy Industries signed a whopping $3.4 billion contract to build a total of fifteen liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers. The shipowner is alleged to be Qatar’s LNG heavyweight QatarEnergy. The delivery dates are marked for 2028.

In addition to this, SHI is also working on the construction of five dual-fuel very large ethane carriers (VLECs) for Japanese shipping company Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL). The units will feature technology developed by Finland’s Wärtsilä Gas Solutions.

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