There has been plenty of talk recently about the birth of a spot and short-term charter market for lng carriers. Indeed some LNGoperators have formed strategic alliances to prepare for these potentially new trades. However, R.S.Platou Shipbrokers of Norway believes that the volume of LNGtonnage currently on order could yet force some owners to work short-term deals by the end of this decade whether they like it or not. According to the broker’s statistics, some 60 new LNG carriers will have been ordered during this year and, by the end of November, the orderbook consisted of 104 vessels equivalent to about 80% of the existing fleet.