Singapore-based Eastern Pacific Shipping (EPS) has taken delivery of a new environmentally friendly very large gas carrier (VLGC) from South Korea’s Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI), further expanding its dual-fuel fleet.
The vessel, Rosablanche, is fitted with Babcock International Group’s LGE business cargo handling system (CHS) and fuel gas supply system (FGSS). The FGSS enables the use of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) as fuel, while the CHS supports the safe transfer and storage of a variety of liquefied gases. The systems are fully integrated to improve efficiency and lower emissions. The project also marks the first collaboration between Babcock and SHI.
EPS has been steadily building its dual-fuel gas carrier fleet. In August 2023, it introduced its first dual-fuel LPG VLGC, the 86,000 cbm MV Logan Explorer, built by HD Hyundai Samho and chartered to Trafigura. That same year, reports indicated the company had ordered four dual-fuel 93,000 cbm VLGCs, split between HD Hyundai Samho and SHI, for delivery in 2026, along with two 88,000 cbm VLGCs from SHI scheduled for 2024.
The company has also expanded into the ethane segment. In August 2024, EPS commissioned six 150,000 cbm ultra-large ethane carriers from Jiangnan Shipyard, part of China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), with deliveries expected in 2027. These vessels will feature advanced energy-saving technologies.
Meanwhile, SHI continues to consolidate its role as a leading builder of gas carriers. In January 2024, the yard secured an order from Oceania-based owners for two LPG/ammonia carriers due in 2027, followed by a $3.4 billion contract—reportedly with QatarEnergy—for 15 LNG carriers slated for delivery in 2028. SHI is also constructing five dual-fuel very large ethane carriers (VLECs) for Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL), incorporating Wärtsilä Gas Solutions technology.
