LNG

June 25 (LNGJ) – A rare summer delivery of LNG is heading for the UK with the National Balancing Point market price at around the equivalent of $10.345 per million British thermal units.

   The “Rias Baixas Knutsen” with 180,000 cubic metres of capacity is scheduled to discharge a US LNG shipment on June 27 at the South Hook terminal at the Welsh port of Milford Haven, according to shipping data. The cargo was lifted on June 13 from the Corpus Christi export plant in Texas.

Jan 29 (LNGJ) – Deliveries are continuing to flow in the first half of February for European import terminals in Belgium, the UK and the Netherlands. The “Maran Gas Troy” with 159,000 cubic metres capacity is due to deliver a US cargo on February 4 to the Zeebrugge import terminal in Belgium, according to shipping data. The cargo was lifted on January 18 from the Sabine Pass plant in Louisiana.

   The “Rias Baixas Knutsen” with 180,000 cubic metres capacity is scheduled to discharge a US LNG cargo on February 6 at the UK Isle of Grain terminal located southeast of London. The shipment was loaded on January 22 at the Corpus Christi facility in Texas. The “BW Pavilion Aranda” with 173,400 cubic metres capacity will deliver a US cargo on February 11 to the Dutch Gate terminal in Rotterdam. The shipment was lifted on January 27 from the Sabine Pass plant.

Sept 28 (LNGJ) - Three cargoes are heading for the European Union nations, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium in the days ahead. The LNG carrier “Rias Baixas Knutsen” with capacity of 180,000 cubic metres is scheduled to discharge a US cargo on September 29 at the floating terminal at the German North Sea port of Wilhelmshaven, according to shipping data. The cargo was lifted on September 8 from the Cameron export point in Louisiana.

   The vessel “Woodside Rees Withers” with 173,400 cubic metres capacity is due to unload a US shipment on September 30 at the Dutch Gate terminal in Rotterdam. The cargo was lifted on September 17 from the Corpus Christi export plant in Texas. The carrier “Clean Vision” with 162,000 cubic metres of capacity is scheduled to deliver a Russian cargo on September 30 to the Belgian terminal at Zeebrugge. The cargo was loaded on September 22 at the Yamal Arctic export plant at Sabetta.

Knutsen OAS Shipping, the Norwegian LNG and tanker fleet owner with more than 30 vessels, has chosen Dutch-based AkzoNobel to supply marine coatings for its latest newbuilds from the South Korean shipyard of Hyundai Heavy Industries.

Two more Knutsen vessels have received hull coatings from AkzoNobel’s high-performance Intershield 300 and Intersleek foul-release products.

AkzoNobel, the global paint and coatings supplier whose brands include Dulux paints, said another two recent newbuilt Knutsen LNG carriers received the coatings. They are the “Adriano Knutsen”, which has already left the shipyard, and the “Rias Baixas Knutsen” whose delivery is imminent.

The Knutsen LNG fleet now numbers 13 vessels with delivery of the newbuilds.

“Knutsen has used Intershield 300 on our vessels for a long time,” said Oliver Smith, Project Manager of the shipping company.

“The reason Knutsen applied Intershield 300 on our new LNGs is because we knew that in the long term, we were able to benefit from the lower maintenance cost,” explained Smith.

“When we have inspected the ballast tanks every five years for our vessels in service having Intershield 300, the number of repairs has been very minimal,” Smith added.

Intersleek was the industry’s first biocide-free foul release coating when it was released in 1996 and provides complete fouling prevention to the hulls of vessels prior to and after dry-docking.

“We’re delighted that our high-performing marine coatings were selected for Knutsen’s latest LNG vessels and proud that our experience and capability in coatings for LNG continues to be recognized,” said Jean-Michel Gauthier, Director of AkzoNobel’s Marine and Protective Coatings business.

Knutsen’s Smith said that the fuel consumption after five years as compared to year one (initial application of Intersleek) is maintained.

“This high performance also keeps future dry-docking costs down. After five years in service, the vessel had to only have one full finish coat applied instead of having to apply a full scheme,” said Smith.

“Knutsen has experienced the formation of green slime due to short lay-up and waiting periods. However, after sailing to the next port of call, the green slime was completely released, saving on any hull cleaning services at the port,” he added.