China delivers world’s first methanol dual-fuel VLCC

China has reached a major milestone in green shipbuilding with the delivery of the world’s first methanol dual-fuel, intelligent very large crude carrier (VLCC). The vessel, named New Explorer, was handed over on Monday in Dalian, Liaoning province.

Constructed by Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Company (DSIC), a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation, the VLCC was built for China Merchants Energy Shipping and delivered four months ahead of its contractual schedule. The ship represents DSIC’s eighth-generation independently developed VLCC design.

A key feature of the vessel is its methanol dual-fuel propulsion system, including a domestically manufactured main engine and methanol fuel supply system. Compared with traditional fuel-powered VLCCs, New Explorer can cut carbon dioxide emissions by as much as 92%, sulfur oxide emissions by 99%, and particulate matter by around 90%.

The tanker also incorporates an optimized hull design that results in a shallower full-load draft than conventional VLCCs, improving its suitability for operations along key global trade routes, including passage through the Strait of Malacca.

The delivery of New Explorer underscores China’s accelerating push toward low-carbon, intelligent ship designs and highlights the country’s growing capabilities in developing next-generation, environmentally friendly large crude carriers.