Two shipping majors – TMS Cardiff Gas and BW Group and – have placed LNG carrier orders at South Korean shipyards, including the word-first three-tank carrier order. Expansion in the gas carrier segment is driven by rising ton-mile demand as Asian buyers replace curtailed Qatari volumes with cargoes from North America.
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.