South Korean giant taps Wärtsilä for very large ethane carrier pair

April 15, 2026, by Melisa Cavcic

Wärtsilä Gas Solutions, part of Finland’s technology group Wärtsilä, has been hired to supply certain equipment for two new very large ethane carrier (VLEC) vessels being built at South Korea’s Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) shipyard.

Illustration; Credit: Hyundai Heavy Industries

Wärtsilä Gas Solutions has received an order, which was booked in Q4 2025, from Hyundai Heavy Industries to supply the cargo handling and fuel gas supply systems for two new VLEC vessels being built for a Malaysian shipowner. The equipment is scheduled to be delivered to the yard in March 2027.

Harald Øverland, Sales Manager of Wärtsilä Gas Solutions, commented: “This contract once again highlights our market‑leading position in this vessel segment. We understand that gas carrier operators rely on safe and efficient cargo handling. To ensure safety and efficiency, Wärtsilä Gas Solutions draws on its extensive experience and deep in‑house expertise.”

As a result, the Finnish player is delivering essential elements to the design of these ships, with the scope of supply entailing the engineering for the cargo handling and fuel gas supply system process plant, as well as various sub-systems.

This order also includes all the required equipment and instrumentation, with an integrated cargo control system. The selection of the Wärtsilä Gas Solutions systems follows similar orders from HHI for new VLECs for different customers in recent years.

This comes shortly after Wärtsilä secured a deal to supply its cargo handling and fuel gas supply systems for two liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering vessels under construction in China.