Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Holds Christening for Next-Gen LNG Carrier
Mitsubishi Shipbuilding held the christening ceremony for a next-generation LNG (liquefied natural gas) carrier under construction for a joint venture of Mitsubishi Corporation and Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK Line). The ship, named "Diamond Gas Rose", is the second "Sayaringo STaGE" type vessel, Mitsubishi Shipbuilding's newest carrier that achieves significant improvements in both LNG carrying capacity and fuel performance through adoption of a more efficient hull structure and an innovative hybrid propulsion system.
LNG Spot Prices Drop; Demand Dips from Brazil, Japan
Asian spot liquefied natural gas (LNG) fell this week as demand from Brazil's Petrobras slackened and top Japanese buyers switched to cheaper fuels and relied more on supplies under long-term deals. Prices for April delivery dropped to around $18.10 per million British thermal units (mmBtu) from $19.60 per mmBtu last week. Petrobras, a major Atlantic Basin LNG buyer in recent weeks, withdrew from the global spot market after rainfall boosted Brazil's hydroelectric reserves and cut demand for gas-fired power generation, traders said. Japanese utilities, meanwhile, increased deliveries of lower-cost LNG under long-term, oil-linked deals. "Prices would rebound quickly if Petrobras had to come back into the market," a trade source said in light of finely balanced supply-demand.