LNG

MISC Group, the Malaysian shipping company, has completed its first liquefied natural gas bunkering operation in US waters off Port Canaveral in Florida for one of the LNG-powered oil tankers owned by subsidiary AET.

Malaysia Marine and Heavy Engineering Holdings Group (MHB), which offers dry-docking and repairs for LNG carriers and the construction of processing modules and platforms, reported a widening of losses in the second-quarter earnings.

French energy major Total said it signed a pioneering agreement to charter its first two Very Large Crude Carrier-type oil tankers equipped with liquefied natural gas propulsion.

Norwegian-listed company Stolt-Nielsen said its natural gas unit was still pursuing its small-scale liquefied natural gas projects through Avenir LNG, including the delivery of six small-scale carriers.

Stolt-Nielsen Gas is continuing to invest in opportunities in LNG shipping and distribution, said the company with offices in London in its business review just published of all its divisions.

Its assets currently include 45 percent of Avenir LNG, a 2.3 percent stake in Golar LNG and six small-scale LNG carriers newbuilds under construction.

“Avenir’s strategy is to source, ship, store, distribute and sell LNG to small-scale, stranded communities that do not have access to a natural gas grid,” said Niels G. Stolt-Nielsen, the Chief Executive of the Stolt-Nielsen group.

Two strategic partners joined SNG as investors in Avenir, Golar LNG Ltd and Höegh LNG, each taking a 22.5 percent stake with Stolt-Nielsen retaining 45 percent.

Avenir has four 7,500 cubic metres capacity LNG vessels and two 20,000 cubic metre capacity carriers on order as it also continues to develop its first LNG terminal on the Italian island of Sardinia.

Stolt-Nielsen has LNG in its portfolio along with its tanker, storage, containers and sea farm businesses.

The Norwegian company with a presence in worldwide locations has its ordinary shares listed on the Oslo stock exchange.

The company reiterated in the annual report that its small-scale carriers were still on track for delivery in 2020 and 2021. 

Keppel Marine of Singapore is scheduled to deliver two 7,500 cubic metre LNG vessels by mid-2020, from their affiliated yards in Nantong, China. 

In 2021, Sinopacific Offshore & Engineering (SOE) will deliver two more 7,500 cubic metres capacity carriers as well as two with 20,000 cubic metres capacity from their yards, also in Nantong. 

Each of the ships is designed to perform safe ship-to-ship bunkering.

In October 2019, together with Malaysian shipping company, MISC Berhard, Avenir signed a term charter with Malaysia’s national oil and LNG production company Petronas.

The first 7,500 cubic metres capacity carrier will be based in Malaysia, enabling Petronas to provide bunkering to LNG-fueled vessels, plus transport services for small-scale terminals in the region. 

Avenir announced another a term charter in November 2019 with Golar Power to deliver LNG using the second 7,500 cubic metres capacity vessel to various ports in Brazil, as well as providing ship-to-ship bunkering. 

“Over the longer term, Avenir plans to develop new markets through small-scale LNG import solutions, invest in additional tonnage where necessary and expand its network of strategic bunkering locations,” said SNG.

The Stolt-Nielsen unit reported an operating loss of $4.1 million for 2019. 

“The losses were mainly attributable to costs related to the continued development of various small-scale LNG projects,” it added.

The company noted that during the fourth quarter of 2019, Stolt-Nielsen sold its investment in Avance Gas Holdings Ltd for $25.9 million. The $10.8 million gain on the sale was recorded to retained earnings.

MISC Group, the Malaysian company with more than 30 liquefied natural gas carriers in its fleet and with engineering and offshore divisions, is hoping to build on the momentum for growth in the shipping sector after sensing increased demand and securing two LNG carrier charters from ExxonMobil.

MISC Berhad, the Malaysian shipping line with a liquefied natural gas carrier fleet of more than 30 vessels, said it had signed time charters for two newbuild LNG carriers with ExxonMobil Corp.

Oct 1 (LNG) - Avenir LNG, a small-scale joint venture comprising Norwegian firms Stolt-Nielsen, Hoegh LNG and Golar LNG, said that Malaysian energy company Petronas has chartered Avenir’s first carrier of 7,500 cubic metres capacity. “The vessel will provide bunkering to LNG-fuelled vessels across Malaysia in addition to transport services for small-scale terminals in the region,” said Avenir.

   Avenir received cooperation in the charter from Malaysian shipping line MISC Berhad, the main shipping partner of Petronas. “Avenir and MISC will form a joint venture company to manage the commercial operations of the LNG carrier whereas ship management services will be provided by Eaglestar Shipmanagement, a wholly-owned subsidiary of MISC,” said a statement.

MISC Berhad, the Malaysian shipping line with an LNG fleet of more than 30 vessels, said it signed an agreement with Japanese shipping company Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK) and trading house Mitsubishi Corp. to co-own two newbuild LNG carriers to mainly serve the LNG Canada export project in British Columbia.

MISC Berhad, the Malaysian shipping line, has taken its liquefied natural gas fleet to 30 vessels by acquiring two older ships from Italy’s energy company Eni and chartering them back to the Italians in a deal with the potential for the carriers to be future conversions for floating LNG projects.

MISC Berhad, the Malaysian shipping line with 29 LNG carriers, said LNG spot rates rose to a peak in the third quarter after a lacklustre start for the year, fueled by higher Chinese imports as the company expected the spot market to remain good for profits.