K Line, the Japanese shipping company, has ordered two new LNG carriers and signed a 12 year-charter to charter them to Malaysia-based Petronas LNG.
It’s possible Petronas signed the charter as part of an agreement announced in January with China’s state-controlled Shenergy for 1.5mn t/yr of LNG for delivery to the small-scale Wuhaogou import terminal in Shanghai, which included collaboration on building and chartering new mid-size LNG carriers.
China’s Hudong Zhonghua Shipbuilding (group) Co., Ltd. will build the two vessels, which are scheduled for delivery in the second quarter of 2022, according to a statement from K Line.
The shipyard publicised the order last month but didn’t mention which shipowner had contracted it to build the two carriers.
K Line said once this charter expires, Petronas will have the option to renew it for 12 years.
Each vessel will have a capacity of 79,900m³ and a draught of less than 9m, allowing passage through shallower inland waterways, Hudong-Zhonghua said. The vessels will also be able to pass through deeper bodies of water in southeast Asia, probably to transport LNG from Petronas’ Sarawak-based 30mn t/yr Bintulu and floating 1.2mn t/yr PFLNG 1 liquefaction facilities.
For more information visit www.klineoffshore.no
