A very large ethane carrier (VLEC) newbuilding has become the first vessel of this size to ship a cargo to Europe.
Data intelligence company Kpler said Evergas’ 83,757-cbm newbuilding JS Ineos Marlin discharged a cargo onto the smaller 27,566-cbm JS Ineos Innovation (built 2016) at Scapa Flow in the UK via a first ship-to-ship operation at the end of May.
This shipment was delivered to Rafnes in Norway on 2 June before the JS Ineos Innovation returned to pick up a second cargo from the VLEC.
Kpler analysts said they expect the smaller ethane carrier to take on a third and final cargo.
The Chinese-built JS Ineos Marlin loaded its commissioning cargo in Morgan’s Point in the US on 5 May after its delivery from Dalian Industry Shipbuilding Co in China.
The ship, which has been built by an affiliate of Jacques de Chateauvieux's Jaccar Holdings and will be operated by group company Evergas, and is on long-term charter to Ineos Trading & Shipping.
The $130m vessel, which is fitted with innovative trilobe cargo tanks, is also able to carry ethylene. A sistership is under construction in China.
The VLEC’s arrival in Europe and the subsequent STS offloads mark a new direction for ethane shipments to Europe which have until now largely been carried on Evergas’ Dragon-class gas carriers, which were especially designed for this trade, or other mid-size vessels.
Until the arrival of the JS Ineos Marlin, the world’s six operational VLECs have been shipping cargoes from the US to India, under a long-term deal with Reliance Industries.
A number of vessels under construction are expected to be used for US-China ethane shipments.
