Malaysia’s MISC has ordered an 18,700 cu m LNG carrier from Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding in China after securing a 10-year charter with Malaysia LNG, with the charter scheduled to commence in 2028, according to Splash247.
Contract and background
The Bursa Malaysia-listed owner contracted Hudong-Zhonghua to build the vessel after the charter with compatriot Malaysia LNG was secured, Splash247 reported. The ship will be deployed carrying LNG from Petronas’ export complex in Bintulu to Sendai in Japan, supporting a supply relationship that, according to the report, stretches back nearly three decades. The deal adds a smaller, specialised unit to MISC’s growing Hudong-Zhonghua orderbook.
Vessel and technical specifications
Hudong-Zhonghua said the newbuild would be the first membrane-type LNG carrier of this size constructed at the yard and China’s first small-scale LNG vessel to feature a membrane containment system. The 129.8 m long ship will have twin-skeg, dual-fuel electric propulsion and a design speed of 15 knots, Splash247 reported.
| Order | Vessel size | Charter | Service timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| New small-scale LNG carrier | 18,700 cu m | 10-year charter with Malaysia LNG | Charter commences 2028 |
| Five earlier LNG carriers | 174,000 cu m each | 20-year charters with Petronas | Enter service 2029–2030 |
Trade route
The newbuild is tied to the Malaysia-to-Japan LNG corridor: loading at Petronas’ Bintulu export complex and discharging at Sendai, Japan. This is the same route that the existing supply relationship has served for almost three decades, according to Splash247. For logistics operators tracking LNG flows into Japan, the new charter provides a committed vessel on the lane from 2028.
Orderbook context
The small-scale order follows a larger order placed earlier this year. MISC contracted five 174,000 cu m LNG carriers at Hudong-Zhonghua's Shanghai yard, all backed by 20-year charters with Petronas and scheduled to enter service between 2029 and 2030, Splash247 said. Combined, the orders show the Malaysian owner building both large and small-scale LNG tonnage at the same Chinese shipbuilder.
Implications for shippers and operators
For LNG shippers and charterers, the key operational takeaway is fleet capacity: a small-scale carrier will be available on the Bintulu-Sendai run starting in 2028, backed by a decade-long charter. Sendai gains an additional committed source of supply from Petronas’ Bintulu complex. For shipbuilders, the membrane containment system on a small-scale hull is a notable first at Hudong-Zhonghua and in China, as the yard itself said.
Watch list
- Construction progress of the 18,700 cu m carrier at Hudong-Zhonghua ahead of the 2028 charter commencement.
- The scheduled entry into service of MISC’s five 174,000 cu m vessels between 2029 and 2030.
- Whether further small-scale LNG orders follow at Chinese yards, given Hudong-Zhonghua’s stated first-in-China membrane small-scale design.
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