LNG

Avenir LNG, the London-headquartered global energy supplier for small-scale projects and gas carriers, has awarded the management of three LNG bunker vessels to Wilhelmsen Ship Management of Norway.

Avenir LNG’s dual-purpose bunkering and supply vessel the 7,500 cubic metres capacity “Avenir Aspiration” has again called at the Higas terminal located on the Italian island of Sardinia as the start of commercial operations progress.

The Higas facility is a small-scale LNG import, storage and distribution facility in the port of Oristano in Sardinia.

Avenir LNG holds 80 percent of the equity in Higas and is working with established local partners Gas & Heat and CPL Concordia who each hold a 10 percent stake in the facility.

The “Avenir Aspiration” discharged the cargo and has now departed and was heading for Spain, according to shipping data.

The Higas terminal includes a jetty capable of receiving LNG vessels up to 20,000 cubic metres of capacity, an unloading arm, six horizontal cryogenic holding tanks of 1,500 cubic metres capacity each, two LNG truck-loading bays and a natural gas power generation system.

It has already started the sales and distribution of LNG truckloads to a number of customers.

Avenir itself is a joint venture owned by London-based Stolt-Nielsen and partners Höegh LNG and Golar LNG Ltd. The company's activities include building a fleet of small-scale LNG carriers.

Charter

Avenir LNG at the end of December 2021 announced it would charter one of its small-scale LNG carriers to Shell after it is delivered from a Chinese shipyard in 2022.

Avenir said it had entered into a Time Charter Party (TCP) with Shell North America LLC for the “Avenir Achievement”, a newbuild with 20,000 cubic metres capacity.

The supply vessel is expected to be delivered to Avenir in the second quarter of 2022 and the time charter to Shell is expected to begin at the start of 2023 for a period of three years and with an option to extend for up to five years.

This charter, including options, increases Avenir’s overall vessel charter revenues backlog to $81.0 million as of December 2021.

Avenir noted that the small carrier is equipped with boil-off gas reliquefication and simultaneous operations (SIMOPs) capabilities, “making her the world’s largest, most efficient and versatile LNG bunkering vessel” available.

Oct 6 (LNG) - Stolt-Nielsen, the London-headquartered Norwegian company with interests including terminals, shipping and the Avenir small-scale LNG business, said third-quarter net profits rose to $33.5 million from revenues of $580.9M, an increase on the prior-year quarter’s earnings of $30.36M and revenues of $474.0M.

   “Momentum at Avenir LNG has accelerated with the commissioning of the Sardinia terminal and multiple ship deliveries throughout the second half of 2021, said Niels G. Stolt-Nielsen,company Chief Executive. “The first two vessels are already employed under solid charter arrangements with Petronas (Malaysia) and New Fortress Energy (USA). The third ship, ‘Avenir Aspiration’, now due for delivery, will enter into service to supply our HIGAS terminal in Sardinia, which began commercial operations in August,” added the CEO.