Statoil has awarded Eidesvik Shipping AS the contract for the delivery of a supply ship fuelled by liquefied natural gas (LNG). Running for a period of five years from October 2006, with three one-year options, this contract is worth almost NOK 370 million, including options. This is a Vik Sandvik 493 LNG-Avant ship of the same design as Viking Avant, which is already chartered by Statoil. The new ship is planned to transport supplies from Kristiansund to the Halten/Nordland area. Statoil is the only company that uses LNG-fuelled ships in offshore operations worldwide. “Statoil has two LNG-fuelled ships under existing contracts. They have performed to our full satisfaction, not least in terms of the environment.