Marine Link
Thursday, April 25, 2024
SUBSCRIBE

Lng Vessels News

24 Apr 2024

Energy Transition: LNG Prices Plummet, Dual-fuel LNG Newbuilds Rise

Copyright Mike Mareen/AdobeStock

Demand for liquefied natural gas (LNG) to power ships will rise this year on attractive prices, while more dual-fuel vessels join the global fleet. Prices of LNG delivered as marine fuel at the world's largest bunker hub Singapore are at steep discounts of nearly $100 per metric ton compared with conventional 0.5% very low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO), industry sources report.That is a far cry from record premiums of more than $1,000 a ton seen in September 2023, based on data from S&P Global Platts published on industry coalition SEA-LNG's website…

18 Apr 2024

Stena Bulk Sells LNG Carrier Stena Blue Sky

(Photo: Stena Bulk)

Tanker shipping company Stena Bulk on Thursday announced the sale of the liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier vessel Stena Blue Sky to an undisclosed Asian buyer.The sale of Stena Blue Sky follows the recent announcement that Stena Bulk had sold two LNG carriers to BW LNG.The successful transfer of Stena Blue Sky has already taken place. The vessel was delivered on April 18 in Singapore.Originally built in 2006 by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) in South Korea, Stena Blue Sky has a carrying capacity 145…

01 Apr 2024

QatarEnergy to Charter 19 New LNG Carriers

(Photo: QatarEnergy)

QatarEnergy CEO Saad Al Kaabi announced on Sunday that the company has finalised a number of charter contracts with several Asian ship owners to bolster its shipping fleet by 19 LNG vessels ahead of a massive expansion in LNG output.In a ceremony at its Doha headquarters state-owned QatarEnergy signed contracts to charter six vessels from CMES LNG Carrier Investment, six vessels from Shandong Marine Energy and three vessels from MISC Berhad. Those 15 vessels will be built at South Korea's Samsung Heavy Industries…

25 Mar 2024

QatarEnergy Inks Nakilat Deal for Operation of 25 LNG Ships

Image courtesy QatarEnergy

QatarEnergy signed time-charter party (TCP) agreements with Qatar Gas Transport Company Limited (Nakilat) for the operation of 25, 174,000 cubic meter LNG vessels as part of the second ship-owner tender under QatarEnergy’s historic LNG Fleet Expansion Program.The agreements were signed by His Excellency Mr. Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, the Minister of State for Energy Affairs, the President and CEO of QatarEnergy and Mr. Abdullah Al Sulaiti, the CEO of Nakilat, in a special ceremony held at QatarEnergy’s headquarters in Doha…

24 Mar 2024

QatarEnergy Charters 25 Nakilat LNG Carriers

Source: Nakilat

QatarEnergy signed time-charter party (TCP) agreements with Qatar Gas Transport Company (Nakilat) for the operation of 25 conventional-size LNG vessels as part of the second shipowner tender under QatarEnergy’s LNG fleet expansion program.Seventeen of the 25 LNG vessels are being built at the Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) shipyards in South Korea, while the remaining eight are being built at Hanwha Ocean, also in South Korea.These agreements firm up last month’s selection of…

17 Mar 2024

Venture Global LNG to Buy Fleet of LNG Vessels

© Andriy Sharpilo / Adobe Stock

Venture Global LNG said on Sunday it would acquire a fleet of nine liquefied natural gas (LNG) transport vessels, expanding its ability to sell and ship its own cargoes.Venture Global LNG has exported hundreds of cargoes since it started liquefying gas for export in 2022 from the first of its three planned facilities in Louisiana. The vessels it used were owned by other companies and leased.The nine vessels in Venture Global's future fleet will be built in South Korea with the first to be delivered later this year…

27 Feb 2024

Japan Continues to Lead Shipowner Rankings

© Carabay / Adobe Stock

VesselsValue has unveils this year’s top 10 shipowning nations, reviewing the total asset values for vessels by beneficial owner country. From Japan's resolute leadership in the top position with a USD 206.3 billion fleet to the emergence of Hong Kong at USD 44.7 billion, asset values and ownership strategies have changed considerably over the last 12 months, says Rebecca Galanopoulos-Jones, Senior Content Analyst, Veson Nautical.The data provided by VesselsValue and analysed by Veson is valid as of February 2024.

23 Feb 2024

ZIM Names Trio of LNG Containerships

Image courtesy ZIM

The naming ceremonies of three new vessels joining ZIM’s fleet were held in Korea and China this week for ZIM Integrated Shipping Services, continuing ZIM’s widescale fleet renovation.The naming ceremony of Zim Mount Elbrus and Zim Mount Vinson, the final additions to the series of ten 15,000 TEUs advanced LNG vessels, took place at the SHI Geoje shipyard in Korea. These vessels, showcasing state-of-the-art LNG technology, were named in a traditional manner by their respective godmothers, Mrs. Hani Kalinsky, ZIM's EVP Pacific Business Unit, and Mrs.

19 Feb 2024

Gulf LNG Tugs to Provide Towage at Texas LNG Terminal in Brownsville

(Image: Texas LNG)

Gulf LNG Tugs of Texas has been selected to provide towage services for the Texas LNG export terminal to be constructed in the Port of Brownsville.Gulf LNG Tugs, a consortium of Suderman & Young Towing Company, Bay-Houston Towing, and Moran Towing Corporation, will build, deliver and operate tugboats under a long term agreement to assist LNG carriers arriving at the facility.Texas LNG will be a 4 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminal owned and managed by Glenfarne Energy Transition.

11 Feb 2024

QatarEnergy Selects Nakilat to Own and Operate 25 LNG Vessels

Source: QatarEnergy

QatarEnergy has selected Qatar Gas Transport Company Limited (Nakilat) to be the owner and operator of up to 25 conventional-size LNG carriers pursuant to Time Charter Parties (TCP).The 25 vessels, each with a capacity of 174,000 cubic meters, will be owned 100% by Nakilat and chartered out to affiliates of QatarEnergy. They are scheduled for construction at South Korean shipyards.This constitutes the first award in the second batch of long-term TCPs under QatarEnergy’s LNG fleet expansion project.

07 Feb 2024

Panama Canal Does Not Plan Transit Restrictions Before April

Source: Panama Canal Authority

The Panama Canal sees no need for further vessel transit restrictions until at least April, when its authority will evaluate water levels at the end of the dry season, Deputy Administrator Ilya Espino told Reuters.A severe drought last year forced the canal to reduce the number of vessels allowed to pass per day. In December, rains in the last quarter of the year allowed the waterway to suspend further restrictions that would have been applied in January.In recent months, attacks to ships at the Red Sea have prompted many vessel owners to take longer routes to and from Asia…

17 Jan 2024

OPINON: Tackling the Houthi Drone Threat with AI

OrcaAI CTO Dor Raviv. Photo: OrcaAI

Houthi rebel drone attacks on vessels traversing the Red Sea and Suez Canal route, accounting for 10% of global trade, have exposed the shortcomings of current ship alert systems.The unpredictability and increased frequency of these attacks have created a challenging security environment for ships passing the area via the Bab el Mandeb strait, posing a substantial risk to seafarers and maritime trade by endangering the safety of the crew and cargo.Initially focused on Israel-related ships in solidarity with Hamas…

16 Jan 2024

Qatari LNG Tankers Resume Course Via Red Sea

© moofushi / Adobe Stock

Four tankers used for shipments of Qatari liquefied natural gas (LNG) have resumed course after pausing for several days amid maritime attacks by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis in the Red Sea, LSEG shiptracking data showed on Tuesday.The Houthi attacks, in what they call a bid to support Palestinians in the war with Israel, have disrupted trade on the main East-West route that makes up about 12% of global shipping traffic.On Monday, the Houthi movement vowed to widen its targets in the Red Sea region to U.S. ships, following U.S.

15 Jan 2024

QatarEnergy Stops Red Sea LNG Shipping Due to Attacks

© vladsv / Adobe Stock

QatarEnergy, the world's second largest exporter of liquefied natural gas, has stopped sending tankers via the Red Sea although production continues, a senior source with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Monday.Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi group has since November been attacking vessels in the Red Sea, part of a route that accounts for about 12% of the world's shipping traffic, in what they say is an effort to support Palestinians in the war with Israel.At least four tankers used to carry Qatari LNG were held up over the weekend after U.S.

22 Dec 2023

Capital Product Partners Move Forward with $3.1B Acquisition of 11 LNG Carriers

(Credit: Capital Gas)

New York-listed shipowner Capital Product Partners L.P. (CPLP) has closed the umbrella agreement from November 2023, moving forward with the $3.1 billion acquisition of 11 newbuild LNG carrier vessels.CPLP entered into umbrella agreement with Capital Maritime & Trading Corp. and Capital GP on November 13, providing for the acquisition of 11 newbuild liquefied LNG carriers.Upon the closing of the umbrella agreement on Thursday, CPLP entered into 11 share purchase agreements to acquire 100% of the equity interests in each vessel-owning company.Each Vessel will have a capacity of 174…

19 Dec 2023

Some LNG Carriers Avoiding the Red Sea as Attacks Increase

© Wojciech Wrzesień / Adobe Stock

Several liquefied natural gas (LNG) vessels have changed their courses in recent days to avoid the Red Sea region amid maritime attacks by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis on the world's main East-West trade route.The Red Sea is linked to the Mediterranean by the Suez Canal, creating the shortest shipping route between Europe and Asia, and is connected to the Gulf of Aden by the Bab-el-Mandeb strait between Yemen and Djibouti. About 12% of world shipping traffic transits the canal.But attacks in recent days on ships along the route have led companies such as oil major BP…

19 Dec 2023

Shippers Mask Positions, Weigh Options Amid Red Sea Attacks

© Image'in / Adobe Stock

A number of container ships are anchored in the Red Sea and others have turned off tracking systems as traders adjust routes and prices in response to maritime attacks by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis on the world's main East-West trade route.Attacks in recent days on ships in the major Red Sea shipping route have raised the spectre of another bout of disruption to international commerce following the upheaval of the COVID pandemic, and prompted a U.S.-led international force to patrol waters near Yemen.The Red Sea is linked to the Mediterranean by the Suez Canal…

08 Dec 2023

US LNG Exports Through Panama Canal Shrink, Asia-Europe Spreads Widen

© Mariusz / Adobe Stock

The number of U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) vessels transiting the Panama Canal to Asia halved in November compared with a year ago as Asia prices for the gas this week traded at their steepest premium to European prices in nearly two years.A severe drought has cut vessel traffic through the canal, increasing costs for shippers that take alternative routes or pay extra fees for auctioned slots in Panama. Further restrictions on canal transits likely will put more cargoes on lengthier routes…

27 Sep 2023

QatarEnergy Orders 17 Ultra-Modern LNG Carriers for $3.9 Billion

Credit: QatarEnergy

Qatari oil and gas company QatarEnergy has ordered 17 "ultra-modern" LNG carriers from South Korea's HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI).The deal, signed at a ceremony in Seoul, is valued at 14.2 billion Qatari Riyals (currently around $3,9 billion), and marks the start of the second phase of QatarEnergy's LNG ship acquisition program, which will support its expanding LNG production capacity from the North Field LNG expansion and Golden Pass LNG export projects as well as its long…

23 Aug 2023

Great Lakes Wins Dredging Contract for Port Arthur LNG Project

(Image: Sempra Infrastructure)

Houston-based dredging contractor Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation announced it has been awarded a dredging and disposal contract in support of the Port Arthur LNG Phase 1 project.Great Lakes has been contracted by Bechtel Energy, the engineering, construction, and procurement company that’s managing the project in partnership with Sempra Infrastructure. The Port Arthur LNG project is a natural gas liquefaction and export terminal in Southeast Texas with direct access to the Gulf of Mexico.

12 Jul 2023

Light Structures Inks Deal for Hull Monitoring on 8 LNG Carrier Newbuilds

Light Structures AS was contracted by China Merchants Hoi Tung company to deliver and install Hull Stress Monitoring Systems for eight newbuild LNG carriers. Image courtesy Light Structurs

Light Structures AS was contracted by China Merchants Hoi Tung company to deliver and install Hull Stress Monitoring Systems for eight newbuild LNG carriers. The vessels are owned by two separate consortia for operations in the Middle East and are being built by Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding for delivery through 2024 to 2026.Light Structures will provide hull monitoring data to the LNG vessels using the standardized SENSFIB Global system. While essentially a Commercial Off the Shelf (COTS) product, SENSFIB Global installations are always configured according to vessel design.

24 Oct 2023

LNG Bunker Barge Clean Everglades Christened

Clean Everglades (Photo: Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding)

Sturgeon Bay, Wis. shipbuilder Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding (FBS) held a christening ceremony for recently constructed liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunker barge Clean Everglades.The vessel is the sister ship to the LNG barge, Clean Canaveral, which was delivered by FBS two years ago and has made more than 65 successful LNG bunker deliveries. Similar in design and appearance, the articulated tug barge (ATB) will hold 5,500 cubic meters of LNG.“The previous FBS-built LNG barge was delivered on schedule during the global pandemic…

22 Aug 2023

Shipyard Capacity: A Brake on Decarbonization?

In mid-July, Hornbeck Offshore revealed a deal with  Eastern Shipbuilding Group to convert a recently delivered Jones Act-compliant offshore supply vessel into a SOV. Image courtesy HOS

The IMO’s latest crunch meeting in early July may not have aligned global shipping with mid-century targets established in the 2015 Paris Agreement. However, its 2023 Strategy indicates a clear direction of travel. Energy supplies by sea are essential for many countries and therefore ships have a key role in supporting the world’s energy transition – not only on their own account, but at a global level.As world shipping accounts for about 3% of greenhouse gas emissions, its environmental importance attracts wide attention. And plenty of criticism.