US FSRU player Excelerate announced the launching ceremony for the 170,000-cbm FSRU (Hull 3407) in a social media post on Monday.
Excelerate said the milestone marks the FSRU’s structural completion and brings the unit one step closer to its expected delivery in 2026.
In October 2022, Excelerate ordered this FSRU at HD Hyundai Heavy.
The US firm will pay about $332 million for the construction of the vessel.
Earlier this year, HD Hyundai Heavy laid the keel for the FSRU.
Excelerate said the FSRU will have a maximum regasification capacity of one billion standard cubic feet per day (1,000 MMscf/d).
According to Excelerate, the vessel will feature HD HHI’s proprietary LNG regasification system, dual-fuel engines, selective catalytic reduction system, boil-off gas management, and other technologies which will improve performance and efficiency while lowering emissions.
The vessel’s tanks will be fitted with GTT’s Mark III Flex membrane containment system.
Moreover, the unit will feature the world’s first H54DF HiMSEN engine.
Following delivery in 2026, Exclerate will have 11 FSRUs in its fleet.
Excelerate currently operates ten FSRUs, one of the world’s largest fleets of such vessels, and these units are located worldwide.
These FSRUs are located in Bangladesh, Finland, Brazil, Dubai, Pakistan, while one FSRU recently serving the second FSRU-based LNG import terminal in Germany’s Wilhelmshaven.
US FSRU player Excelerate Energy also recently purchased a 2007-built steam LNG carrier from GasLog Partners, a part of Greek LNG shipping firm GasLog, according to brokers.
The vessel in question is the 145,000-cbm Methane Alison Victoria, brokers said.
Earlier this year, Exclerate announced its intention to acquire an LNG carrier in 2025.
The LNG carrier is expected to serve its gas supply business in the short term and will be a candidate for the company’s first FSRU conversion.
