Japan’s NYK Line is being named as the shipowner behind an order for two high-priced LNG carrier newbuildings announced by South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries on Monday.
Hyundai Samho said in an exchange announcement that it had secured a contract for two vessels priced at a total of KRW 686.1m ($525.2m).
Based on the Korean won-to-US dollar exchange rate quoted, this would value each newbuilding at about $261.3m each.
This would appear to show a strengthening of the newbuilding price for LNG carriers.
Chevron’s recent orders for the ship type at Samsung Heavy Industries were priced at just shy of the $260m mark — at $258.9m each.
The yard named the contracting party as “shipping lines in North America”. But those following the business closely said NYK is believed to have inked the contracts.
The newbuildings are due to be delivered by August 2027.
TradeWinds has contacted NYK for comment on the orders.
NYK has been particularly active in LNG carriers this year.
In March, the shipowner’s name was linked to an order for three 174,000-cbm units announced by Hyundai Group yard holding company Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering Co.
This order, for which the contracting party was also referenced as a North American shipping company, recorded that the newbuildings were priced in the region of $255m each — at that time the highest price seen paid for a vessel of this type.
In May, NYK confirmed a long-term charter with German utility EnBW to back four 174,000-cbm LNG carrier newbuildings at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries Co.
The shipowner was selected by EnBW following a tender process and married with the LNG berths it had pre-negotiated at prices of about $257m each.
Prior to this year’s contracts, NYK had at least 19 firm LNG carriers on order in South Korea and China. The company is building 12 with partners against QatarEnergy charters.
Separately, the Japanese owner has four LNG carriers under construction for Russia’s Novatek and two booked for term business with EDF Energy.
