KUALA LUMPUR (April 6): MISC Bhd (MISC) has taken delivery of its sixth very large ethane carrier (VLEC), Seri Elbert, from Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) shipyard in Ulsan, South Korea.

Seri Elbert, and her sister vessels – Seri Everest, Seri Erlang, Seri Emei, Seri Emory and Seri Emperor – are a series of second-generation VLECs, all of which were acquired from China’s Zhejiang Satellite Petrochemical Co Ltd (STL) in July 2020, MISC said in a statement today.

President and group chief executive officer Yee Yang Chien said this accomplishment was a culmination of hard work and dedication of various teams at sea and shore, from the inception point of the project up till the delivery of Seri Elbert.

“We will continue to make great strides, as we go on to serve the global ethane market.

"Our VLECs play a prominent role in addressing the need for large capacity ethane carriers in the supply chain," he said.

The 98,000 cubic metre Seri Elbert and her five sister vessels are on a long-term charter to STL.

These six VLECs signify MISC’s entry into China and its position as the largest operator of VLECs in the niche and growing market of moving ethane globally, the company said.

At present, MISC is the owner of the largest VLEC fleet of its kind in the world, with MISC's ship management arm Eaglestar Shipmanagement Gas (S) Pte Ltd as the appointed ship manager of all six VLECs.