Natural Gas News

"Green Cruising” with AIDA Cruises: Biggest AIDA Cruise Ship operates environmentally337 meters long, 42 meters wide, 8.8 meters draft, 183,900 GT, four main engines transferring in total 62 MW on two PODs: These are the most important particulars of AIDAnova, the latest Meyer Werft-built cruise ship for AIDA Cruises.During the laying of the keel Carnival Corp. announced that it was going to build a total of seven new cruise ships which can “in port and at sea” operate with natural gas/methane.The seven new builds will be built at yards of the Meyer Group in Papenburg…

Lithuania has given the go ahead to state-owned Klaipedos Nafta to purchase a liquefied natural gas (LNG) storage vessel by late 2024, as it shores up energy supplies and reduces its reliance on Russian natural gas.Klaipedos Nafta is currently leasing a floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU), called Independence, from Norway's Hoegh LNG.The use of the vessel has allowed Lithuania to import LNG since 2014, breaking the monopoly Russia's Gazprom had on natural gas supply to the country as well as neighboring Latvia and Estonia."This will keep us able…

Japanese shipping company Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK), the first company in the global shipping industry to issue labelled green bonds, presented its initiatives at a seminar conducted by Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley Securities Co. Ltd. in Tokyo.A green bond is one in which the proceeds are used solely for the purpose of funding environment-friendly projects.The importance of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives is getting a lot of attention in capital markets…

Russia's first liquefied natural gas (LNG) floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) is expected to dock at the port of Kaliningrad on Dec. 18, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters.The FSRU, called Marshal Vasilevskiy, is being installed at Kaliningrad - a city separated from Russia and bordering with Lithuania and Poland - by Russian energy major Gazprom in a move to bypass pipeline gas deliveries via Lithuania in case there are any disruptions in gas transit.The FSRU will be the first LNG import facility in Russia, the world’s second largest gas producer.The vessel is currently anchored outside the port of Kaliningrad…

Carnival Corporation announced it will launch four new cruise ships in 2019 across three of its leading global brands – Carnival Cruise Line, America's Cruise Line; Costa Cruises, the largest European cruise operator; and Princess Cruises,  international premium cruise line. The world will get a preview of one of these spectacular new vessels when Carnival Cruise Line debuts a floral replica of its new Carnival Panorama sailing down Colorado Boulevard in the Rose Parade on New Year’s Day…

The first Sayaringo STaGE type LNG carrierMitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. (MHIMSB) delivered the first Sayaringo STaGE type liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier, named Diamond Gas Orchid in June, 2018. The Sayaringo STaGE, which was developed based on MHIMSB's cutting-edge technology, has a continuous cover over the cargo tanks, a feature inherited from its predecessor the “Sayaendo”, and while keeping this merit, incorporates apple-shaped MOSS-type cargo tanks and a twin-shaft hybrid propulsion system “STaGE” plant, enhancing economic efficiency, environment friendliness, and versatility.

Norwegian company Hurtigruten, the world’s largest expedition cruise operator, is continuing to push the boundaries when it comes to green travel with its order for three hybrid-powered vessels nearing completion, the first ship being due for delivery in May 2019.Two of these revolutionary ships are currently under construction at the Kleven Yard in Ulsteinvik, Norway, the MS Roald Amundsen and its sister ship, the MS Fritjof Nansen, both of which are custom-designed to cope with some of the most extreme conditions seen on our planet, each having a specially-designed, ice-strengthened hull.

Peninsular Arab country Qatar has said that it plans to invest more than $20 billion in the US energy sector over the next five years.According to a report in Reuters, minister of state for energy affairs of the energy-rich Qatar Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, who is also the  President & CEO of Qatar Petroleum, said he is looking to invest in US oil and gas sectors as well as unconventional resources.The report quoted Saad as saying: “North of USD20 billion will be invested over the…

Qatar Petroleum (QP) signed an agreement with Italy’s Eni SpA to acquire a 35% stake in three offshore oil Fields in Mexico.The agreement cover the Amoca, Mizton, and Tecoalli offshore oil fields, which lie in Area 1 in Mexico’s Campeche Bay, said a press statement from the Arab country's government-owned energy company.The agreement is subject to customary regulatory approvals by the government of Mexico. Following such approval, both Eni and Qatar Petroleum will jointly hold 100% interest in the Area 1 production sharing contract.Commenting on this agreement…

The Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) company Skangas is renamed Gasum (See MarineLink report ). The Scandinavian distributor and producer of small-scale LNG claimed that the name change will strengthen the Gasum brand in the Nordic countries and the position of Gasum as the leading provider of LNG in the region. Gasum operates under one strong brand in the Nordic countries.The energy company Gasum increased its shareholding in Skangas from 70% to 100% in October 2018. The acquisition is part of the Gasum strategy…

Russian oil and gas company Gazprom and Japanese trading house Itochu have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the proposed Baltic liquefied natural gas (LNG) export project."With this document, the parties confirmed their interest in potential cooperation in the framework of the project," said a press note from the Russian gas giant.A working meeting between Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee, and Yoshihisa Suzuki, President and Chief Operating Officer of Itochu Corporation, took place in St.

Swedish coastal shipping company Thun Tankers  to name the new, environmentally adapted tanker “Thun Evolve” in Groningen, Holland today (Saturday).The tanker will be long-term leased by Preem for deliveries to the company’s depots and customers in Sweden, Norway and Denmark, said the shipping company. The ship will be delivered to Preem at the end of March.The vessel, built in the Netherlands, is a welcome addition to the company's commitment to safer, efficient and sustainable maritime transport…

Houston-based liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporter Cheniere Energy said the first commissioning cargo of LNG has loaded and departed from its Corpus Christi liquefaction facility in Texas.The LNG was loaded on the LNG carrier Maria Energy, chartered by Cheniere Marketing, said a press release.“Exporting the first commissioning cargo of LNG from Texas demonstrates Cheniere’s ability to deliver projects safely and ahead of schedule, including the first greenfield LNG export facility in the lower 48 states…

Japanese shipping and logistics giant Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK) has signed long-term contracts with Diamond Gas International Pte. Ltd. (DGI), a wholly owned subsidiary of Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) located in Singapore, for DGI to charter from NYK three newly built liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers.Previously, NYK concluded long-term time-charter contracts for three new LNG vessels for MC’s Cameron LNG project, so these most recent contracts bring the total to six carriers for MC.The NYK Group will be responsible for ship management for the three ordered LNG carriers…

The Yamal liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in Arctic Russia officially commissioned the third and last production line Tuesday.Russia's independent natural gas producer PAO Novatek announced that its joint venture Yamal LNG has reached full capacity at the plant’s three LNG trains.The Yamal LNG project was implemented in record time and on budget with the launches of the second and third trains made ahead of schedule by six months and more than a year, respectively. Russian…

Leonid Mikhelson, the head of Russia's gas producer Novatek, said on Tuesday the company will need to speed up construction of liquefied natural gas (LNG) reloading facilities after Washington slammed Norway for helping it to tranship gas.Allowing ship-to-ship transfers in Norwegian waters from Yamal in Arctic Russia, one of the world's largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals, undercuts Europe's energy diversification efforts, the U.S. State Department said last month.Mikhelson…

Carnival Corp on Wednesday launched its first liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered ship in Germany as the world's largest cruise operator tries to cut its carbon footprint.Addition of LNG ships are part of Carnival's ongoing fleet enhancement strategy and 20 new vessels are scheduled for delivery between 2018 and 2025.The shipping industry have been forced to look for cleaner options such as LNG after the International Maritime Organization introduced tough new rules on use of marine fuel.Strategically important ports such as Gibraltar are already preparing to offer upgraded facilities to meet

Switzerland's Proman Shipping and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines(MOL) announced that  a naming ceremony for a newbuilding Methanol Carrier for Proman Shipping was held at the Hyundai Mipo Drydock (HMD) in Korea.The vessel was named the CASTARA by Methanol Holdings (Trinidad) Limited. (MHTL) CEO Dennis Patrick. MHTL and Proman Shipping are subsidiaries of the Proman Group.The CASTARA will be the most eco-friendly and fuel-efficient vessel in Proman Shipping’s expanding fleet.David Cassidy…

South Korean shipbuilding giant Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) said Thursday that it has clinched a new deal to build a liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier.According to a press release from the shipbuilder, the price tag for the LNG carrier is 211 billion Korean won (USD188 million).Under the contract with an unidentified customer, Samsung Heavy will deliver the vessel by March 2021, the company said.Few days ago, SHI also secured a 400 billion won ($356 million) deal to build two 174…

The world’s largest LNG bunker supply vessel “Kairos” has started operations in Northwest Europe on December 11th, 2018, said a press note from the Polish LNG Platform.Chartered by Blue LNG, a joint venture of the Hamburg based leading LNG supplier “Nauticor” with a 90% share and the Lithuanian energy infrastructure provider KN with a 10% share, the ship was handed over by the owner Babcock Schulte Energy in the port of Klaipeda.Mahinde Abeynaike, CEO of Nauticor, underlined the…

Polish state-controlled oil and gas company Polskie Górnictwo Naftowe i Gazownictwo SA (PGNiG) is set to receive a spot cargo of U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG).The Warsaw-headquartered oil and gas company said in a statement that it will receive a delivery of liquefied gas shipped to Świnoujście by Centrica LNG Company Limited. It will be the third spot delivery arriving at the President Lech Kaczyński Terminal this year.The Hoegh Gallant vessel will arrive in Poland carrying on board approximately 65 thousand tonnes of LNG, which, after regasification, will yield almost 90 mcm of gas.

Malaysian oil and gas company Petronas plans to introduce liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering operations at the country from the second half of 2019.“As a major player in the LNG business, PETRONAS is well-positioned to support the strategic intent for Malaysia to become the regional LNG bunkering hub,” it said in the Petronas Activity Outlook 2019-2021 report."Efforts are now being put in place towards advocating LNG as the preferred marine fuel of choice. In close collaboration with industry associations like MOSVA…

The Arctic LNG carrier Christophe de Margerie, owned and operated by Sovcomflot, loaded the first batch of liquefied natural gas (LNG) produced at the third train of Yamal LNG plant, at the Port of Sabetta on the Yamal Peninsula.Dmitry Medvedev, the Russian Prime Minister, initiated the start of cargo operations via a video conference with the vessel’s Master Sergey Zybko.Dmitry Medvedev congratulated Yamal LNG on reaching full production capacity and noted:“This is a significant milestone for the entire Russian gas industry and…