According to a joint statement sent to LNG Prime, the new joint venture has ordered two 20,000-cbm LNG bunkering vessels at China Merchants Heavy Industry in Jiangsu.
No pricing details have been provided.
CMHI (Jiangsu) is already building six LNG carriers for Celsius, scheduled for delivery between 2026 and 2027.
The bunkering ships will feature a sub-cooler system, dual-fuel propulsion, and type C tanks capable of both LNG bunkering and small-scale LNG trading.
The deliveries of these LNG bunkering vessels are scheduled for the third and fourth quarters of 2027.
Celsius will lead the commercial strategy, while Caravel will provide strategic capital and operational expertise.
In addition, Celsius Tech, a joint venture between Celsius Shipping and Caravel’s Fleet Management, which already manages Celsius’ LNG carriers, will oversee the construction of the bunkering vessels and assume technical management.
“With this initiative, we are combining technical excellence, shipyard reliability, and commercial scale. Celsius and The Caravel Group are fully aligned in our ambition to become long-term leaders in the LNG bunkering space,” Jeppe Jensen, founder and chairman of Celsius, said.
With over 1,150 LNG dual-fuel vessels expected in operation by 2028 and LNG bunkering demand projected to exceed 50 million tonnes annually by 2045, the need for modern, compliant bunkering infrastructure is urgent, the statement said.
The joint venture invited charterers, cargo owners, fuel traders, and infrastructure providers to collaborate in building a “more sustainable maritime future.”
In the first half of 2025, 13 LNG bunkering vessels were ordered, compared to 62 in operation globally, with February marking the strongest month for this segment with eight orders, according to classification society DNV.
DNV’s data shows that there are now 771 LNG-powered ships in operation and 626 LNG-fueled vessels on order.
