Three N-class vessels built at the CSSC Huangpu Wenchong Longxue yard for Norway’s Grieg Maritime Group (GMG), ‘Star Nordkapp’, ‘Star Narvik’ and ‘Star Naga’ have been named at the shipyard in China.
The N-class vessels have been designed for far lower energy consumption the company’s other ships. Technology, speed, and capacity combine to make them 40% more energy efficient than the second-most-efficient vessels in the fleet. The new ships are delivered ready for retrofitting for green ammonia or methanol – or for carbon capture.
The first in the series for Grieg, Star Norge, was originally delivered in January 2026, while Star Nordkapp’s maiden voyage began just after the naming. Star Narvik and Star Naga will be handed over in the coming months. Grieg’s partner, Gearbulk, will start taking delivery of its six N-class vessels at the end of 2026.
Camilla Grieg, GMG Chair, said: “It has been a long and important journey. From the design of the vessels, connecting with the best broker, finding the right yard to be trusted with this important milestone, the right site team, the financing partners, and, not least, the best crew to take the ships to sea. I hope and believe that our fantastic G2 Ocean team will be proud to present the new generation open-hatch ships to our customers worldwide.”
GMG CEO Matt Duke added: “A naming ceremony is always a special moment. It marks not just the completion of a vessel, but the beginning of her life at sea. It is a moment to celebrate, to reflect, and above all to thank those who made her possible.”
Each N-class vessel is 82,300 dwt, and its holds have a total capacity of 100,000m3. The 225m-long ships can handle project cargoes on deck measuring up to 190m. In all, they are considerably larger than the other ships in the fleet.
Grieg said: “We are dedicated to contributing to making our industry more sustainable and are proud of the fact that our new class of vessels are 40% more energy efficient than our current fleet. Four open hatch state-of-the-art newbuildings is a big and important investment in our common future and shows our long-term commitment to our business and the industry.”
Image: ‘Star Nordkapp’ and ‘Star Narvik’ at the naming ceremony (source: Grieg Maritime Group)
