Finland-based Meriaura has ordered an open deck carrier suitable for conversion to run on alternative marine fuels.

The order of a 6,800-dwt vessel was booked with China’s Jiangsu Zhenjiang shipyard, Meriaura said in a statement on its website on Tuesday.

Deltamarin Finland has designed the vessel and will be equipped with three medium-speed four-stroke engines.

These engines will be configured to allow future upgrades enabling operation on low- or zero-carbon marine fuels.

The vessel is expected to be delivered at the beginning of 2028.

A growing number of shipowners have ordered vessels designed for conversion to alternative fuels such as ammonia or methanol, but actual retrofits remain limited so far.