LNG

Clarkson, the UK-based global shipping services company and maritime consultancy for LNG and other transported hydrocarbons and products, reported a jump in annual revenues of over 36 percent and record profits even as uncertainties remained in the industry from geo-political issues.

Sept 23 (LNJ) - Shipping spot charter rates for LNG carriers are little changed since last week. Spot charter rates are still between $63,500 per day and $59,500 per day in the West of Suez market for vessels of 155,000-165,000 cubic metres capacity.

   East of Suez spot charter rates are again quoted by shipbrokers at between $60,500 per day and $56,500 per day. One-year charter rates for the most modern vessels were unchanged at about $93,000 per day.

“In the LNG carrier charter market, brokers noted that some owners soon became no longer interested in trying to cash in on what had been a prosperous spot market to instead focus on term discussions,” according to the latest London broker report on the past month’s events.

Jan 14 (LNGJ) - Shipping charter rates for LNG carriers in the spot market increased as Northern Hemisphere winter market demand surged. Rates were quoted at an average of between $168,000 per day and $172,0000 per day West of Suez. Spot rates of $158,000 to 162,000 were heard for the East of Suez charter market for vessels of between 155,000-165,000 cubic metres capacity, according to various brokers. One-year time charters also increased for the most modern vessels and ships were available for around $49,000 per day.

A trading chronicle of the last month of LNG shipbroking activities captured the revival of the North Asian markets with the “miraculous upward trajectory” of LNG prices, helped by a variety of factors such as plant outages in all Basins, South Korean coal caps, Chinese coal restrictions, while favourable arbitrage conditions were further helped by hold-ups in the Panama Canal.