Project Forward — an ambitious scheme to build the world’s first truly deepsea, LNG-powered ships — has moved closer to reality.

As reported earlier this week by TradeWinds online, Jiangsu Yangzijiang Shipbuilding has signed a letter-of-intent to build up to 20 such vessels with the project’s sponsors Arista Group of Greece.

The 84,000-dwt kamsarmaxes are to be delivered between 2020 and 2023 to Forward Maritime Group, an affiliate of the Athens-based Arista Group.