Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has completed development of the Sayaringo STaGE, a next-generation liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier.

The Sayaringo STaGE was developed as a successor to the ‘Sayaendo,’ the company's LNG carrier evolved from carriers with Moss-type spherical tanks that offer a high level of reliability, said a statement.

The adoption of apple-shaped tanks has enabled a near 16 per cent increase in LNG carrying capacity without changing the ship's width, while incorporation of a hybrid propulsion system has boosted fuel efficiency by more than 20 per cent compared to the Sayaendo, it said.

Leveraging the Sayaringo STaGE's capacity for transporting North American shale gas safely and efficiently, MHI plans to undertake extensive business activities promoting the new vessel as a strategic product among its LNG carrier offerings, it added - TradeArabia News Service