LNG

A second Russian-build ice-class LNG carrier, the Konstantin Posiet, is heading to Asia via the Northern Sea Route, underscoring Moscow’s push to sustain Arctic LNG exports despite Western sanctions.

QatarEnergies is loading the most LNG in a month with the 10-day moving average for LNG loadings from the giant Ras Laffan complex reaching around 80,000 tons in preparation for a potential reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, according to ship-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg.

Japanese shipbuilders are set to draw new investment as Tokyo looks to revive the sector, with industry groups backing a plan for roughly 350 billion yen in capital spending and a broader public-private fund of more than 1 trillion yen to double output by around 2035. The push also includes efforts to modernize yards and revive LNG carrier construction.

Alternative-fuelled ship orders declined in the first half this year, but LNG remained the dominant choice among shipowners, accounting for 73 of 137 vessels ordered, according to DNV, mainly for containerships and car carriers.

The global fleet of LNG-fuelled could almost double from its current base of 850 ships if scheduled deliveries and orders proceed as expected, Shell told investors, projecting LNG bunkering demand to jump from 3-4 mtpa to about 26 mtpa by 2035.

Bureau Veritas has classed CMA CGM Notre Dame, a 24,092 TEU LNG dual-fuel ultra-large container ship delivered by Jiangsu Yangzi Xinfu Shipbuilding, marking the first in a planned series of 24 vessels for CMA CGM.

The French shipping firm CMA CGM is preparing to deploy its new LNG-fuelled containership Notre Dame on its Asia-to-Europe service. The vessel made its maiden call at Yangshan Port in Shanghai on May 22 and is now en route to Le Havre, France, where it will be named in early June. The 24,211 TEU vessel is the first of 10 ships due for delivery through to 2028.

India has rejected a cargo of Russian LNG from the US-sanctioned terminal despite domestic supply shortages amid Middle East tensions – effectively stranding a 138,200-cbm tanker near Singapore, according to Reuters and ship-tracking data.

Cosco Shipping is expanding its exposure on LNG-capable tonnage with an order for 87 new vessels from several yards affiliated with China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC). The order, valued at more than RMB 50 billion (about US$7 billion), covers container ships, bulk carriers, tankers and car carriers scheduled to be delivered through to 2030.

Orders for LNG vessels have more than halved, with only 38 ships ordered in the first nine months of 2025 – a substantial 56% decline. Investment could pick up from 2026 as more LNG export capacity comes to market and d shipyard capacity expands.