Methane Pioneer: The First LNG Ship in the World

Handling maritime operations of highly sensitive nature, LNG carriers are extremely necessary and fulfill a very vital responsibility. In the present-era, sound research and developments have paved the way for uniquely built LNG ships which are capable of transporting liquefied natural gas in really huge quantities.

The very-first utilization of a LNG carrier can be traced back to the late 1950s, when a former cargo ship was altered to be used as a LNG ship. Christened as the Methane Pioneer, the first LNG ship set a huge milestone in the nature of cargo carrying operations.

This legacy established by the vessel, continues even today in the same glorious manner.

Characteristics of the First LNG Carrier in the World

• Originally built in the year 1945 to be used as a cargo ship in the Second World War, the Methane Pioneer LNG ship had a DWT of slightly under 5,000 tonnes

• The LNG carrier carried out its maiden LNG transportation between Louisiana in the United States to the Islands of Canvey in Great Britain

• In order to enable safer transportation of the volatile cargo, the storage holds were built of aluminium with a total storage capacity of over 2,000 tonnes

The vessel was utilised to transit LNG for a totality of eight years. Thereafter, the carrier vessel was re-commissioned to be utilised as a storing vessel for LNG consignments before it was suitably disposed from active service in the early 1970s.

LNG Carrier Ships: Post Methane Pioneer

The surety provided by Methane Pioneer LNG shipwith respect to transporting of LNG fuel led to the start of a new era in maritime operations with the commissioning of a couple more such carrier ships. Both these vessels, the ‘Methane Princess’ and the ‘Methane Progress’, were quite famous in their own right and contributed substantially to the earlier successes achieved by their sister vessel.

References: globalsecurity, premiershipmodels, searchpetroleum

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