China Merchants Energy Shipping (CMES) has taken delivery of New Explorer (Kaituo), described as the world’s first methanol dual-fuel, “smart” VLCC, built by CSSC Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Co., Ltd. (DSIC) together with China Shipbuilding Trading Co., Ltd.

Why this matters is not just the “first-of-its-kind” label. Bringing alternative fuel capability and an integrated intelligent operations architecture onto a VLCC platform signals a more practical direction for tanker decarbonisation: operational flexibility, compliance readiness, and measurable performance—not a concept ship.

Methanol dual-fuel propulsion with flexible switching between conventional fuel and methanol, aligned with IMO Tier III requirements, and enabling significant GHG reduction potential when using green methanol.

A multi-system intelligent ship platform, with “smart” cargo operations at the core—where tankers face their highest complexity and risk density. This is where digital capability can meaningfully improve safety, port-window predictability, and operational standardisation.

A “real-world” configuration logic: alongside methanol readiness, the vessel is equipped with a scrubber and a shaft generator, reflecting the tanker sector’s need to optimise across multiple fuel, route and regulatory scenarios.

For CMES, New Explorer also sits within a broader fleet renewal cadence: the company has disclosed 15 tanker newbuilding orders scheduled for delivery across 2026–2028, spanning VLCC and Aframax capacity—suggesting this delivery is a lead ship and operating template, not a one-off milestone.

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