Norwegian shipowner Awilco LNG has fixed out its second tri-fuel diesel-electric LNG carrier on a six-month time-charter.

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The company said on Wednesday that it has signed a contract with an oil major for a firm duration of about six months on the 156,000-cbm WilForce (built 2013).

Awilco said the contract is estimated to contribute an Ebitda of about $17m over the hire period.

This equates to a charter rate of around $94,000 per day. But factoring in other cost elements it is believed to be closer to $110,000 per day.

The vessel is due to be delivered to its charterer today.

Market talk named major BP as the possible charterer of the vessel.

In June Oslo-listed Awilco LNG announced it had fixed out one of its two LNG sisterships — the other vessel being the WilPride (built 2013) to a “leading European LNG importer”.

The charter deal is for three years with an option to extend by a further two-year period.

Today Awilco said this earlier contract will be covered by WilPride which will be trading in the spot market until the contract starts in December.

Awilco flagged up that both of its LNG carriers have been trading in the spot market over the summer period.

The company highlighted the explosion on 8 June at the Freeport LNG liquefaction plant in the US which has led to its temporary closure until a possible restart in October.

“With 20% of US exports suddenly being closed the spot market for LNG carriers has been very challenging as activity and rates have come down,” Awilco said.

‘With both vessels operating in the spot market during the summer these unforeseen events have led to unexpected idle periods for our vessels which will influence the company’s result in second and third quarter 2022,” it added without giving further details.

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Awilco is due to report second-quarter results on 23 August.

There has been a big disconnect between LNG carrier term and spot rates in the last few months as charterers move to snap up modern tonnage for term hire to give them winter coverage.

In contrast, spot trading vessels have experienced significantly weaker rates, although these have started to recover this week.

Today Spark Commodities put up its Atlantic rate estimate for a TFDE vessel by $6,500 per day to $48,750 per day.