Owners of large and small LNG carrier fleets are maintaining robust order books with the latest ship to be delivered being for shipowner Minerva Gas along with four other vessels for various owners that emerged from the shipyards in June.
Greek shipping line Minerva has just taken delivery of the 173,400 cubic metres capacity carrier, the “Minerva Limnos”, from South Korean shipbuilder Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering.
The vessel left DSME's Geoje shipyard on June 30. The “Minerva Limnos” features M-type electronically controlled, Gas injection (ME-GI) propulsion, a No. 96 GW LNG containment system from GTT and a PRS-FRS re-liquefaction system.
The vessel is flying the Malta flag and is classed by European classification society DNV.
“We wish to convey to the Master, Chief Engineer and all Officers and ratings of ‘Minerva Limnos’ our warmest congratulations and wholehearted wishes for safe, smooth and prosperous voyages and calm seas,” said a statement from Athens-based Minerva.
Off Japan
The new Minerva carrier was shown in latest shipping data as being just off the coast of Japan and was expected to head for the Panama Canal before lifting its maiden cargo in the Atlantic Basin.
The vessel delivery brings Minerva's LNG fleet numbers to three carriers, following deliveries of two vessels in January and February 2021.
The shipowner has ordered two further carriers, both of 174,000 cubic metres capacity, the “Minerva Chios” to be delivered in the weeks ahead and its sister ship, the “Minerva Amorgos” to be handed over by August 2022.
The four other LNG carriers delivered from shipyards in June were for Danish owner Celsius Shipping and Greek owners Alpha Gas, Gaslog and Capital Gas.
The expectations of growing shipping demand in the LNG market is supported by the lengthening of shipping routes on the
ramp-up of export capacity from the United States and Russia.
The bulk of additional sanctioned liquefaction capacity entering the market will be in the 2021-2024 period.
At the end of 2020 as many as 150 LNG vessels were on order, which represents a quarter of the active carrier fleet, excluding floating storage and regasification units.
Of these, nearly 60 ships are scheduled for delivery in 2021, adding close to 10 million cubic metres of capacity, an 11 percent year-on-year increase.
The market entry of the remaining 15 million cubic metres of capacity on order is spread across the period between 2022 and 2025.
