Japanese shipowner NYK Line is poised to exercise an option for an LNG carrier newbuilding.
Brokers said the company is upping its tally at Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries, where it already has a 174,000-cbm LNG vessel on order that was contracted earlier this year.
It is not yet clear what business the carrier is linked to.
Strengthening alliance
Meanwhile, NYK has grown its LNG carrier partnership with Norwegian owner Knutsen OAS Shipping.
According to the 2018 annual report for Seglem Holding, which is controlled by Knutsen OAS Shipping chairman Trygve Seglem, joint venture Knutsen NYK LNG Holding now has five vessels under its name, up from three previously.
According to the report, Knutsen NYK LNG Holding now lists the 173,400-cbm Ribera Del Duero Knutsen (built 2010), 138,114-cbm Sestao Knutsen (built 2007), 176,300-cbm La Mancha Knutsen and Rioja Knutsen (both built 2016) plus an LNG newbuilding, which is under construction at Hyundai Heavy Industries.
Logging a profit
At the end of last year, Knutsen NYK LNG Holding had a book value of NOK 981m ($113.6m) and logged a profit of NOK 130m last year.
Knutsen OAS Shipping controls a fleet of 11 LNG carriers. It also has on order three 180,000-cbm newbuildings, plus a vessel of 30,000 cbm.
