NANJING -- China on Sunday delivered its biggest independently designed and built liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier to date, marking a breakthrough in the country's ability to build large vessels for clean energy transport.

The carrier, Celsius Georgetown, departed for Singapore after completing delivery at 10:50 am at a dock of China Merchants Heavy Industry (Jiangsu) Co Ltd, the shipbuilder said.

The vessel, 298.8 meters long and 48 meters wide, has an LNG transport capacity of 180,000 cubic meters. It is equipped with a dual-fuel, low-speed propulsion system.

Border inspection officers boarded the vessel in advance to expedite clearance procedures, helping ensure a timely and safe departure by taking advantage of favorable tidal conditions.

Lu Jinlong, manager of the large LNG carrier program at China Merchants Heavy Industry (Jiangsu) Co Ltd, said the company has secured orders for six such type of vessels. The remaining five are currently under construction, with a second ship expected to be delivered in three months, Lu added.

LNG carriers are designed to transport natural gas in liquid form at temperatures of minus 163 degrees Celsius. Their technological complexity has earned them the nickname "the crown jewel" of the shipbuilding industry, a field long dominated by a small number of global shipbuilders.