By Dede Williams

Olefins and polyolefins major Borealis (Vienna; www.borealisgroup.com) has signed a long-term agreement – its second – with Japanese shipbuilder IINO Kaiun Kaisha (Tokyo; www.iino.co.jp/kaiun/english) to charter an Ice Class IB Very Large Gas Carrier (VLGC) with a cargo tank capacity of 93,000 m³. The company is to take delivery of the vessel touted as the world’s only ice-strengthened VLGC of Ice Class IB at its petrochemicals site at Porvoo, Finland, in the first quarter of 2027. 

Ice Class IB certification is awarded to vessels capable of navigating in light ice conditions with the support of icebreakers, conforming to the Finnish-Swedish Ice Class standards and making it easier for vessels to navigate the Baltic Sea in winter, the manufacturer says.  

The dual-fuel engine vessel that can be powered alternatively by liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and low-sulphur fuels is equipped with a Shaft Generator Motor (SGM) System for electrical power generation from LPG fuel. This method of operation is claimed to significantly reduce both fuel consumption and the emission of common air pollutants such as nitrogen oxides, sulphur oxides, carbon dioxide, along with particulate matter from ships. 

Related: Borealis invests EUR 4.5 mn in Porvoo cracker

Other advantages touted include an onshore power-supply system that allows the ship to run on shoreside renewable electricity while anchored in port, which according to Borealis further reduces its carbon footprint.

Being able to transport light feedstock from overseas to its European base chemical operations increases the company’s flexibility and enhances its competitiveness in providing sustainable base chemicals and polyolefins solutions, said Thomas Van De Velde, senior vice president, Base Chemicals and Energy, at Borealis. 

IINO said its experience and know-how in operating LPG carriers since 1960 will not only enable more effective and environmentally sustainable transportation for its European customers, but also permit “stable plant operation” in all seasons. 

In December 2022, the Japanese shipbuilder signed a first, long-term charter agreement with Ineos (London; www.ineos.com) for a Very Large Ethane Carrier (VLEC). In May 2023, Borealis took delivery of its first IINO-built VLGC with a cargo tank capacity of 91,000 m³.