LNG

Alternative-fuelled ship orders declined in the first half this year, but LNG remained the dominant choice among shipowners, accounting for 73 of 137 vessels ordered, according to DNV, mainly for containerships and car carriers.

Canada has moved closer to unlocking a new Pacific Coast crude outlet from Alberta while fast-tracking British Columbia LNG projects with the aim of tripping LNG production and export beyond 2030.

Malaysia’s Petronas has taken delivery of the newbuilt LNG carrier Puteri Kedah, following delivery of a the similar-sized Puteri Johor LNGC on late May. Both vessels are owned by the joint venture companies of ‘K’ LINE.

The decade of structurally cheap US gas is drawing to a close, with Henry Hub prices forecast to rise towards $5 per MMBtu by 2035 from below $3 per MMBtu, as LNG demand growth tightens domestic balances, Wood Mackenzie said.

The global fleet of LNG-fuelled could almost double from its current base of 850 ships if scheduled deliveries and orders proceed as expected, Shell told investors, projecting LNG bunkering demand to jump from 3-4 mtpa to about 26 mtpa by 2035.

LNG carrier ordering activity in the first half of 2026 has rebounded from last year’s slowdown, with MS Cardiff Gas, Hayfin and BW LNG again seen circling Korean shipyards for 2029 delivery windows.

Contract flexibility, strong demand and reliable project execution are bolstering credit profiles of US and Canadian LNG producers, Fitch Ratings said. Longer-term credit upside could fade as competition intensifies, build costs rise and demand visibility weakens, leaving producers reliant on tighter capital discipline and low-cost expansions, analysts warn.

Designating the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin and the Montney formation as “strategic national assets” would help reduce feedgas risk and uncertainty facing Canada’s LNG sector today, Ottawa-based Public Policy Forum said in a report on unlocking LNG export potential.

Delivery of 17 LNG carrier newbuildings tied to the TotalEnergies-led 12.8 mtpa Mozambique LNG project has been delayed, with shareholders asking shipyards Hyundai Heavy Industries and Samsung Heavy Industries to defer declaration dates to September 2026.

Japan’s JERA has launched a vertically integrated unit – JERA Global Energy Solutions – to consolidate and optimise its LNG portfolio across upstream, LNG, lower-carbon fuels, and shipping. The new entity will work closely with JERA’s LNG trading platform JERA Global Market to coordinate physical supply with trading strategies.