Australia’s Woodside Energy has selected a preferred shipowner for its planned LNG bunker vessel.
Those working closely with the project declined to name the owner involved, but others in the wider industry pointed to Dutch shipowner Anthony Veder as the company left in the running for this project.
The LNGBV is understood to be advancing on the back of increased interest from Australian iron ore producers shipping cargoes into China to switch to LNG-fuelled tonnage.
Perth-based Woodside, which aside from public statements has declined to comment directly on any aspect of this project, has been pursuing its plans for an LNGBV for some time.
The company floated a requirement for a 15,000-cbm vessel that would be able to conduct ship-to-ship bunkering in open water for the large bulk carriers as load port conditions are too congested to accommodate the LNGBV full time.
Officials for Woodside, which has already been undertaking LNG truck-loading operations and has indicated it would be moving ahead on ship bunkering, have said they would rather see one of the large mining outfits come onboard before the company commits to a marine facility.
In the interim mining giant BHP, which according to a report in UK daily newspaper The Guardian this week ranks among the top 20 companies responsible for CO2 emissions, went out to shipowners for up to 14 LNG-fuelled newcastlemax bulker newbuildings.
BHP wants to take these ships on long-term charter to ship iron ore to China.
Woodside's LNGBV is understood to be in the mix for this business.
TradeWinds reported last month that Anthony Veder had ordered a 30,000-cbm LNG carrier at Jiangnan Shipyard in China.
It is unclear whether this ship is in any way related to this business.
Veder has not responded to requests for comment on the order.
