LNG

Awilco LNG, the small Norwegian-based shipping provider with two 156,000 cubic metres capacity vessels, the “WilForce” and the “WilPride”, has finally received a full and final settlement for a collision involving the “Wilforce” and a bulk carrier off Singapore at the end of May 2019.

Awilco LNG, the small Norwegian-based shipping provider with two vessels, managed to swing back to profit in the third quarter as the ships returned from dry dock and said that overall LNG shipping market rates were still at healthy levels though vessels may soon be used for storing LNG with land-based facilities full in the European Union.

Oct 7 (LNGJ) - Golar LNG Limited, the carrier fleet owner and project developer, has successfully placed US$300 million in senior unsecured bonds in the Nordic bond market. “The bonds will mature in October 2025 and bear interest of 7.00 percent per annum,” said Golar.

   “Net proceeds from the bond issue will be applied towards the refinancing of the company’s outstanding convertible bonds maturing in February 2022 and general corporate purposes,” it added. An application will be made for the bonds to be listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange. The Nordic banks, DNB Markets and Pareto Securities AS, acted as global coordinators and Danske Bank and Nordea Bank as joint lead managers of the placement.

Avenir LNG, a company owned by Norwegian shipping and infrastructure operators, said its newest 20,000 cubic metres capacity LNG bunkering vessel has been launched in China and it would be delivered later in 2021.

The “Avenir Allegiance” entered the water at the Zhoushan Changhong Sinopacific Shipyard Co. in China’s eastern Zheijang province.

“The vessel is scheduled to be delivered from the yard in the third quarter of this year and she will join the Avenir LNG fleet as the world’s largest LNG bunkering vessel,” said Avenir.

Avenir is a joint venture owned by London-based Norwegian shipping and storage company Stolt-Nielsen and its peer fleet owners and project companies, Höegh LNG and Golar LNG.

The company said that the “Avenir Allegiance” would be Cayman Island-flagged and is the fourth of six newbuilds delivered to Avenir.

Avenir’s first newbuild delivery, the “Avenir Advantage”, took place in October 2020 and will be followed by the “Avenir Accolade”, the “Avenir Aspiration”, the “Avenir Allegiance”, the “Avenir Ascension” and the “Avenir Achievement” during 2021.

“We are delighted to see the latest, and largest, vessel in the Avenir LNG fleet being successfully launched by our partners CIMC SOE,” said Peter Mackey, Chief Executive of Avenir LNG Limited.

“We look forward to taking delivery of the ‘Avenir Allegiance’ later this year,” he added.

Avenir CEO Mackey stated that as the largest LNG bunkering vessel in the world, the “Avenir Allegiance” was a clear demonstration of Avenir’s commitment to developing new LNG supply chains.

“She will play a critical role in helping the shipping industry to transition to LNG as a more environmentally sustainable fuel,” stated Mackey.

“The ‘Avenir Allegiance’ will operate as both an LNG bunkering vessel and an LNG supply vessel,’ explained the CEO.

“This highly flexible vessel underscores our strategy of simultaneously unlocking multiple new LNG markets with multi-functional assets.,” said Mackey.

Avenir is building up a fleet of LBVs vessels of between 7,500 cubic metres capacity and 20,000 cubic metres capacity.

Another of the LBVs, the “Avenir Advantage”, was delivered in November 2020 to the Future Horizon joint venture comprising Malaysia’s MISC Group and Avenir.

Additionally, Malaysian energy company Petronas has chartered the “Avenir Advantage” from Future Horizon for a period of three years.

Norwegian firm Stolt-Nielsen started up the small-scale LNG sector firm Avenir in 2015 and its two investors, Golar and Höegh, each have 22.5 percent of Avenir to Stolt-Nielsen’s 45 percent.

The experienced shipping partners of Avenir are aiming to build up the market in small-scale LNG supply to off-grid industry for power generation and transportation fuel, as well as providing infrastructure to support the development of LNG as a marine fuel.

Avenir additionally has an 80 percent stake in a small-scale LNG import project company Higas on the Italian island of Sardinia, while the local partners are Gas & Heat and CPL Concordia, each holding 10 percent of the Sardinia venture.

Flex LNG, the growing Norwegian-listed fleet owner backed by shipping magnate John Fredriksen, posted a first-quarter loss of $14.87 million as vessel operating revenues also fell.