China Merchants Industry Holding (CMI), a manufacturing flagship of China Merchants Group, has won a contract for the construction of up to eight 180,000 cbm LNG carriers from an undisclosed European shipowner.

The company behind the contract, which includes four firm orders plus four options, is believed to be Danish shipowner Celsius Tankers. The order is being reported just a month after Celsius placed an order for an additional 180,000 cbm LNG carrier at Samsung Heavy Industries pushing its LNG carrier fleet to 14 vessels. The company has a fleet of over 45 ships, which include chemical and product tankers, and container feeders.