At MEYER WERFT in Papenburg the keel was laid today of the first gas tanker out of a series of four for the Norwegian shipping line Solvang ASA. Magne Morken from Solvang put the traditional lucky penny under the first of a total of 18 blocks of Clipper Hebe, the first ship of this series. The newbuilding is scheduled for delivery in the summer of 2007.

The LEG/LPG tankers will have a length overall of 154.9 m, a breadth of 22.70 m and a cargo capacity of 17,000 m3. They will be able to operate at a speed of 17 knots. Fully loaded with ethylene cooled down to minus 104°C, the ships will have a draught of 8.10 m. In addition to ethylene, the tankers will also be able to carry vinyl chloride monomer, ammonia and propylene oxide, cooled down to minus 48° C.

These special-purpose ships will be delivered to the owner in the 3rd and 4th quarters of 2007 and 2008. MEYER WERFT's affiliated company NEPTUN WERFT in Rostock will be involved mainly in the tank construction. Another 4 gas tankers for a German shipping line, to be delivered to the owner in 2009 and 2010, has increased the series of gas tankers on order to a total of 8. Photo: from left: - Magne Morken, Inge Steensland - Solvang ASA, Bernard Meyer - MEYER WERFT