OREANDA-NEWS. May 28, 2013. Power and automation firm ABB says it has signed a five-year agreement with China LNG Shipping International Co. Ltd. (CLSICO) to provide maintenance services to ABB equipment on the shipping company's six liquefied natural gas (LNG) vessels.

As part of the deal, ABB will provide annual site survey and on-call services and dry dock service every 2.5 years, covering onboard, power generation plant, mechanical, and electrical systems.

"With a thorough five years maintenance plan, CLSICO will be able to achieve ambitious cost saving targets," said Heikki Soljama, head of Marine and Cranes business at ABB.
 
"Additionally, the framework ensures effective communication and transparency between CLSICO management and ABB, which in turns strengthens the co-operation between both parties and streamlines key processes."

The agreement allows CLSICO to budget accurately for maintenance costs on the ships.

"One of our key priorities is to maximize fleet availability whilst keeping our costs as predictable as possible" said Sandy Farquhar, fleet manager for CLSICO.

The LNG shipping in China is a growing business, and companies including China Shipping Development Co. (China Shipping) are increasing their focus on the fuel.