Planned to be delivered in 2018, the carriers will feature four apple-shaped tanks with capacity of 165,000 cubic meters.
The STaGE components include an ultra steam turbine (UST) plant, a reheating steam type marine turbine, a dual-fuel diesel engine, and an electric propulsion motor.
MHI will build the vessels at Nagasaki Shipyard & Machinery Works.
NYK Line will use the vessels to transport shale gas produced from Cameron LNG project in Louisiana, US.
Scheduled for commissioning in 2018, Cameron project includes a new natural gas liquefaction facility, to produce and export liquefied shale gas and other natural gases of up to 12 million tons per year.
In January, NYK Line awarded a contract to MHI for two next-generation LNG carriers, to transport shale gas produced in North America.
