Wah Kwong Maritime Transport has announced the delivery of the LR2 tanker Frontier Venture. Built at Hengli Shipyard in Dalian, the vessel is the first in a new series for the company to demonstrate Group 3 augmented ship capabilities, which integrate on-board digital systems with shore-based support.
The 114,000 Deadweight Tonnage (DWT) vessel has been assigned SMART (H1, M1, EnE3, MH3) notations by Bureau Veritas (BV), focusing on machinery health monitoring and energy efficiency optimisation.
The augmented ship functionality includes expert-in-the-loop services designed to provide insights to ship officers, such as early detection of machinery anomalies and recommendations for efficient operating profiles.
“The SMART notations awarded to our first LR2 mark a key milestone in our long-term partnership with Bureau Veritas and demonstrate how we translate innovation into fleet wide progress,” said Hing Chao, Chairman of Wah Kwong Maritime Transport.
The current series at Hengli Shipyard will continue with a second LR2 tanker expected in July 2026. The wider programme includes seven SMART-enabled vessels, including LNG carriers under construction at Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Company (DSIC) and bulk carriers at New Dayang Shipyard, scheduled for delivery through 2027.
“The maritime sector is undergoing profound transformation, in which digitalisation continues to play a central role. As with any major transition, building trust in new technologies is essential,” said Alex Gregg-Smith, President, Marine & Offshore at Bureau Veritas.
The delivery follows the 2023 launch of the bulk carrier Eastern Venture, which was the first newbuild globally to receive a BV SMART notation.
