Marine Link
Friday, March 29, 2024
SUBSCRIBE

Lng Freight News

26 May 2023

Asian Spot LNG Prices Slide for Fifth Straight Week

© Anatoly Kolodey / Adobe Stock

Asian spot liquefied natural gas (LNG) prices have weakened for the fifth consecutive week on muted demand due to healthy stocks, remaining at their lowest level in two years.The average LNG price for July delivery into north-east Asia was down 3% from the previous week at $9.50 per million British thermal units (mmBtu), the lowest since early May 2021, industry sources estimated."North Asia remains largely void of demand. Prices have continued to walk down week-on-week and support hasn't been helped by Japanese utilities selling into an already weak market…

19 May 2023

Asian Spot LNG Prices Slip to Two-year Low

© Nicola / Adobe Stock

Asian spot liquefied natural gas (LNG) prices slipped to their lowest level in two years on weak demand and high inventories, while European LNG prices also fell below the $10 mark amid healthy stock build and limited need for additional supply.The average LNG price for July delivery into northeast Asia was down 6.6% from the previous week at $9.8 per million British thermal units (mmBtu), the lowest since May 2021, industry sources estimated."Prices continue to linger sub $10 as general demand remains lacking…

12 Dec 2022

Chinese Shipyards Feast on Record LNG Tanker Orders as S.Korea Builders Fully Booked

©donvictori0/AdobeStock

China is making fast inroads in the market for newbuild liquefied natural gas (LNG) tankers as local and foreign shipowners turn to its shipbuilders for the specialty vessels because long dominant yards in South Korea are fully booked. Three Chinese shipyards - only one of them having experience building large LNG tankers - won nearly 30% of this year's record orders for 163 new gas carriers, claiming ground in a sector where South Korea usually captures most of the business.

08 Jul 2022

Strong LNG Demand to Keep Freight Rates Firm in 2022, Beyond

© NPershaj / Adobe Stock

Tanker rates to ship liquefied natural gas (LNG) are expected to remain firm as market players try to secure cargoes for winter demand amid soaring LNG prices and tight global supply, industry sources said on Friday.The global LNG market has recently tightened further after the war in Ukraine and a major outage at major U.S. facility Freeport LNG curtailed U.S. LNG supply, pushing players to secure vessels for longer terms that extend at times to a year.Spot tanker rates across the Pacific hit a record high at $335…

08 Jul 2022

Asia Spot LNG Prices Rise on Uncertainty over Nord Stream, Japan Supplies

Asian spot liquefied natural gas (LNG) prices jumped this week on fears of possible Russian supply disruptions to Japan and on rising demand due to a heatwave and concerns over the return of the Nord Stream pipeline after its planned 10-day maintenance.The average LNG price for August delivery into north-east Asia was estimated at $41 per million British thermal units (mmBtu), up $2, or 5.1%, from the previous week, industry sources said.This is the highest level seen in four…

19 Nov 2021

Pacific LNG Freight Spot Rates Hit Fresh Record High

© vladsv / Adobe Stock

Tanker rates to ship liquefied natural gas (LNG) across the Pacific hit a fresh record high on Friday as high demand for the U.S. super chilled fuel from Asia drives up the demand for vessels, industry sources told Reuters.The cost of chartering a vessel to carry a shipment of LNG from Australia to Japan jumped to a record high of $335,000 per day, according to data intelligence firm Spark Commodities.The jump comes ahead of the peak winter consumption season and is spurring concern among Asian buyers that colder-than-normal weather could be exacerbated by the shortage of ships…

26 Feb 2020

Global LNG Exports Reach 362MT in 2019

During the fourth quarter of 2019, spot LNG freight rates continued to strengthen with average reported headline rates for MEGI/X-DF LNG carriers increasing by 66% from $74,800 per day to $123,800 per day, according to Flex LNG.Rates increased steadily due to higher demand preparing for winter in Northern Asia, as well as continued floating storage, Flex LNG said.Trading patterns and LNG pricing however, continue to favor Europe as the main destination for incremental uncommitted LNG volumes due to the low spread in gas prices between Asia and Europe, as well as greater infrastructure capacity in Europe for regasification and storage.According to industry sources…

21 Aug 2019

LNG Market Recovers in Q2, Says Flex LNG

During the second quarter 2019, spot liquefied natural gas (LNG)  freight rates stabilized and started gradually to recover, says Flex LNG, the owner of LNG carrier vessels and floating storage regasification units (FRSUs).Unseasonably slow demand in Asia over the winter due to fewer heating days caused by warmer weather, and cooler weather than normal in key demand areas early in the summer coupled with ample supply growth from new liquefaction continued to weigh on global LNG prices.The on-going trade dispute between the U.S. and China is adversely affecting Chinese procurement from the US, it said.According to industry sources, US exports to Asia have stabilized at around one million tonnes per month…

31 May 2019

Spot LNG Freight Rates Plummets in Q1: Flex LNG

During the first quarter 2019, spot LNG freight rates plummeted from the record levels seen in the previous quarter, said Flex LNG, the company controlled by billionaire John Fredriksen.Asia winter demand came in lower than expected due to an unseasonably mild weather in northern Asia, coupled with Japanese nuclear power plants restarting as well as an oversupplied LNG market due to start-up of new LNG production, said the emerging player in the LNG shipping.Asian LNG prices moved lower, trading closer to or at par with key US and European LNG markers, preventing arbitrage opportunities between the markets. Despite significant growth in liquefaction and exported volumes…

28 Jun 2018

Marine Shipping Sector Eyes LNG to Meet Clean Fuel Rules

With new global emissions standards looming, the marine shipping industry is increasingly looking at liquefied natural gas as alternative to high-sulfur bunker fuel, shipping and energy executives said at a global gas summit this week. Already used to fuel ferry fleets and cruise ships, LNG is gaining traction among freight and cargo shippers, despite a reluctance by the entrenched industry to make major changes. The stakes are high: the global shipping fleet now consumes about 4 million barrels per day of high sulfur fuel oil. "Ship owners are very conservative, they're generally a little slower to act... But it's going to happen," Peter Keller, chairman of SEA\LNG and executive VP of maritime firm Tote Inc, told Reuters at the World Gas Conference in Washington.

11 Jan 2018

Baltic Exchange to Develop LNG Freight Index

(File photo: Teekay Corporation)

The Baltic Exchange is looking into launching a freight index for liquefied natural gas (LNG) and is working with leading ship brokers to explore potential shipping routes that might be used as the LNG market grows, the company said on Thursday. Founded in 1744 as a forum for chartering vessels, the Baltic Exchange now produces benchmark indexes for global shipping rates, including ones used by the multi-billion dollar freight derivatives market. Singapore Exchange acquired the exchange in 2016 and since then the Baltic has been looking for new markets to develop.

14 Jun 2017

Baltic Exchange Mulls New Freight Indexes for Grains, LNG

© sarymsakov / Adobe Stock

The Baltic Exchange is looking into launching freight indexes for grains and liquefied natural gas (LNG) as the London-run business targets new markets after its acquisition by Singapore Exchange last year, the Baltic's chief executive said. Founded in 1744 as a forum for chartering vessels, the Baltic Exchange now produces benchmark indexes for global shipping rates and owns a trading platform for the multi-billion dollar freight derivatives market. SGX's ownership of the Baltic has enabled the exchange to set its sights on developing new areas…

24 Jul 2016

LNG: Did the Greeks Get it Wrong?

In December 2013, Alibra’s market report front page read: “When in shipping, do as the Greeks do.” At that time, Alibra was referring to the fact that 31% of the LNG carrier orderbook had been ordered by Greek owners. Billions of dollars in CAPEX were being pumped into natural gas exploration, as well as building infrastructure such as liquefaction and export terminals, especially in the US. Some 180 LNG carriers were ordered between January 2011 to December 2014 – many of them speculatively. Of these vessels, 52 were ordered by Greek companies (29%). But the Greeks didn’t get the LNG play wrong as such – no one could ever have anticipated the shock drop in oil prices seen in mid-2014…

01 Jun 2016

Golar LNG Hit by Weak Market

Oscar Spieler-led LNG shipowner Golar LNG Ltd. (GLNG) on Tuesday reported a loss of $80.1 million in its first quarter. The results did not meet Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of seven analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for a loss of 41 cents per share. The operator of carriers for natural gas shipping posted revenue of $18.6 million in the period, also falling short of Street forecasts. Four analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $23.1 million. The early part of 2016 has witnessed a continuation of the weak LNG freight market, says a company statement. The majority of fixtures have been in the Pacific basin, however they have tended to be for relatively short periods, and this is also where the largest number of idle vessels are located.

13 Feb 2015

LNG Tankers Idled as Gas Downturn Widens

Combined tanker capacity of at least 2.25 mcm LNG lies unused. Over a dozen liquefied natural gas (LNG) tankers are parked, many idle, in and around Singapore - one of the world's biggest trading hubs for the fuel - in a sign that the slowdown engulfing world gas markets may be worsening into a crisis. With Asian spot LNG prices down by almost two-thirds since February 2014 as slowing demand combines with rising output, shippers are parking their tankers close to ports like Singapore where unused ships can be easily maintained and serviced until new orders come in. Leading ship brokers estimate over one-tenth of the global fleet of 400 LNG tankers is currently unused because of slowing growth in Asia's biggest economies. The impact just in Singapore suggests the problem could be worse.

17 Jul 2013

Energy: Uncertain Outlook for LNG Market

June saw more enquiries than May, and more were converted into fixtures, but Drewry’s LNG freight index was stubbornly unchanged according to the latest LNG Insight. However, market sentiment remains positive as Cheniere took three vessels on mid-term charter, plus options. One vessel from Dynacom was also added to the first of the two ME-GI ships from Teekay, while Inpext also announced newbuildings for Ichthys. But sentiments were less positive in Africa, where the Nigerian Maritime Administration blocked ship movements from the Bonny Channel as its relationship with Nigeria LNG became even more tense. African supply has already suffered as North African suppliers have been facing feedstock problems.

22 Mar 2013

LNG Shipping's Dream Run Over?

LNG Carrier: Photo credit CCL2

Drewry's latest 'LNG Insight' saw heating demand subside in major importing regions in February & cargo availablilty also tightened. Regarding cargo availability, a few unplanned shutdowns, caused a 4% decline in the LNG  Freight Index. LNG shipping enjoyed a dream run during 2011 and 2012, owing largely to increasing tonne-mile demand and an almost stagnant fleet. Freight market prospects would be even brighter if fleet supply were to remain at current levels, but this will not be possible as 81 more vessels could join the fleet during 2013-15…

23 Dec 2012

HIgh LNG Freight Rates Possibly Short-term

Market analysis suggests winter demand could cause LNG freight rates to rise but downward pressure might later be forthcoming. Rising LNG prices, almost stagnant liquefaction capacity amid expanding regasification capacity and development of LNG export framework in the USA could prove to be the game changers for the LNG industry, according to shipping analyst Drewry. Looking at the LNG freight market a new report Drewry Maritime Research - LNG Shipping Market Review and Forecast 2012 says that the short-term rate assessments for conventional LNG carriers have been incredibly positive. Since the last market low in 2Q10 the rates have almost quadrupled with only a slight softening in 2Q12.