Lemissoler Navigation names first methanol‑capable bulk carriers

Limassol‑based Lemissoler Navigation held a naming ceremony at the end of July for MV Lem Azalea and MV Lem Plumeria, the first two vessels of its four‑ship dual‑fuel methanol bulk carrier programme. Each 65,000‑dwt dry‑bulk carrier was built by CSSC Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding in partnership with China Shipbuilding Trading Co. and will operate under charter to Cargill.

The ships incorporate the Lem65ePlus‑SDARI design, developed by Shanghai Merchant Ship Design and Research Institute and classified by the American Bureau of Shipping, which received an Approval in Principle in 2023. They can run on conventional marine fuel or methanol, supporting Lemissoler’s goal of zero‑emission operations by 2045. Chairman and CEO Philippos Philis called the launch a “significant milestone” that demonstrates how operational experience, technical collaboration and the maritime energy transition can be combined into efficient, flexible vessels.