Kumul, recently named in a ceremony in China, is a 172,000 cubic metre, 290m LNG carrier, entering service on a long-term charter with ExxonMobil PNG, operator of the PNG LNG project, providing LNG transportation to major customers in Asia.

"We could not be more excited about the arrival of the Kumul the second of the custom-built ships to load its first cargo which will be delivered to Sinopec. We are also delighted that the 200th cargo for PNG LNG will be loaded onto the Spirit of Hela a few days later.

"These two milestones further underpin our already strong reputation for safely and reliably delivering LNG to our customers," said ExxonMobil PNG managing director Andrew Barry.

The Kumul is owned by Mitsui OSK Lines and East China LNG Shipping. Mitsui will operate the ship on behalf of the PNG LNG venture and deliver cargos under the direction of Exxon Mobil PNG.

In 2011, Exxon Mobil and Mitsui chose Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding to build two LNG carriers in China for the PNG LNG project. The first of the ships to be built, the Papua, began service in February 2015. The Kumul and the Papua are the largest LNG carriers ever to be built in China.