Construction has begun on a 7,500 m3 LNG bunkering vessel jointly owned by Gasum and the Swedish shipping company Sirius Shipping.

The steel-cutting ceremony for the vessel was held at the RMK Marine yard in Istanbul, Turkey, the shipbuilder said in a LinkedIn post on Wednesday.

The vessel, named Celsius, is expected to be delivered in 2027 and will be operated by Gasum to cater to LNG and bio-LNG bunker demand in Northwestern Europe.

“Celsius will be different from other LNG bunker vessels since it will have a gas combustion unit on board to assist with cool downs and gassing up,” Sirius Shipping said.

LNG bunker demand is expected to grow over the coming years as more LNG-fuelled ships join the global fleet, requiring an increase in bunkering infrastructure.

The global LNG-fuelled fleet currently consists of 846 vessels, with a further 552 scheduled for delivery by 2028, according to classification society DNV.

At present, 79 LNG bunkering vessels are in operation, with 52 more on order for delivery by 2028.