Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) has booked orders for two Sayaringo STaGE liquefied natural gas carriers (LNG), to be delivered in 2018.

MHI will deliver these next-generation carriers to Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha through MI LNG Co., Ltd, a joint venture between MHI and Imabari Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. The ships will be put into service transporting natural gas produced in North America.

(Read “Mitsubishi Heavy Is Building Two Next-gen LNG Carriers.”)

The carriers feature a design that is intended to improve the way LNG is transported as well as the ships’ fuel efficiency. The ships will feature a different hull structure and a propulsion system known as STaGE (Steam Turbine and Gas Engines). The system combines a steam turbine and engines that can be fired by natural gas.

The carriers will have four apple-shaped tanks with a total holding capacity of 165,000 cubic meters (m³). Each vessel will have an overall length of 293.5m, a width of 48.94m, a depth of 27m and a draft of 11.05m.

The Sayaringo STaGE was built so that it can pass through the widened Panama Canal. The carrier will also feature a tank cover integrated with the hull structure. The design feature is intended to give the shop a lighter weight while remaining structurally sound. The design also reportedly will cut wind resistance at sea.