Chinese state-owned shipping company COSCO Shipping has launched an LPG dual-fuel very large gas carrier (VLGC) named Chang Ping Yuan. The 88,000-cbm vessel can operate on either LPG or conventional marine fuel and is fitted with a shaft generator designed to cut emissions. COSCO Shipping has not disclosed further details, including the shipyard where the ship was built. The launch comes as the global fleet of LPG-capable vessels continues to expand. According to classification society DNV, 179 such ships are currently in service, with a further 160 scheduled for delivery by 2030. Of the existing fleet, 165 are dedicated LPG carriers, while the remaining 14 are capable of carrying both LPG and ammonia. Orders for LPG dual-fuel VLGCs have also been rising. This month, Japanese tanker operator IINO Kaiun Kaisha (IINO Lines) signed a time charter contract with energy and commodities trading group BGN for an LPG dual-fuel VLGC newbuild. Separately, gas carrier owner Dorian LPG ordered three 90,000-cbm LPG dual-fuel VLGCs from South Korea's Hanwha Ocean, underscoring continued industry investment in dual-fuel gas carrier capacity.