Spot charter rates for modern, gas-injection LNG carriers have crashed the $100,000-per-day mark, with levels also jumping across other tonnage types.

Brokers said a 174,000-cbm, two-stroke vessel has been fixed to US Gulf offtakers for business in the Atlantic at a rate of around $115,000 per day. One broker suggested the charter could be a relet from Cheniere Energy, the US LNG exporter.

There are reports that Flex LNG has fixed two of its 174,000-cbm LNG carriers, the Flex Constellation and Flex Courageous (both built 2019), to Chevron for spot and multi-month business respectively, out of the Far East.

Brokers said the Flex Constellation has also been committed to trader Mitsui & Co at $95,000 per day.

Fearnley LNG put its rate estimates for ME-GI and X-DF tonnage up to $105,000 per day in the Atlantic and $100,000 per day in the east — a rise of $25,000 since last week. It based its figures on concluded charters.

The LNG market was alive with chartering chatter on Thursday.

Brokers spoke about vessels offers around $150,000 per day being submitted for charter business floated by Indian Oil.

Chartering sources said levels for tri-fuel diesel-electric ships are now "definitely past $80,000 per day", with questions being asked about how high they might go.

Talk was also circulating of $80,000 per day being discussed on a steam turbine vessel. Fearnleys pegged steam ship daily rates at $60,000 across both basins.

Brokers said just one or two vessels are currently open in the Atlantic and what one described as "a handful" in the east.

One said rates have surged $30,000 to $40,000 in a week.

LNG players TradeWinds spoke to were clearly busy and upbeat.

The market was described as "frisky" by one and "red hot" by another.

Most put the heightened action and rate uptick down to the improved LNG prices in the east, which is pulling cargoes longer haul and soaking up tonnage.

The news that there will probably be no cargo cancellations from the US in December was also fuelling the positive mood. Cancellations began in May as the pandemic kicked in, climbing to 45 in both July and August before slowly tailing off.

Talk of an impending cold winter was adding to the sentiment.

But some players cautioned that the market could still prove volatile, particularly if traders optimise and sell into Europe, or further Covid-19 shocks disrupt the demand picture.

One broker said that charterers with relet tonnage are trying to cash in on the roaring rates by offering their vessels out on multi-month deals. But with the 2021 picture unclear, there are few takers at the high levels they are asking.

"Everyone is having a bit of a party at the moment," she said, "but how many ships get done is another matter."