Nasdaq-listed Capital Product Partners (CPLP) has appointed former Inpex executive and LNG specialist Atsunori Kozuki to its board of directors as it dives deeper into the LNG sector.
Kozuki is a former principal project developer and general manager for Japan’s Inpex Corp, where he was in charge of LNG business development and marketing.
CPLP detailed that economics and business graduate Kozuki has over 34 years of experience in LNG business development, including shipping.
He started his career as a project developer with Nissho Iwai Corporation, where he became a project manager developing new LNG projects between 1982 and 2002. From 1987 to 1990, he was part of the team that established an LNG Joint Venture with Indonesian state energy company Pertamina.
Kozuki has also held other executive director and directorship positions.
In a social media post, Capital chief executive Jerry Kalogiratos said Kozuki’s “extensive experience and knowledge in the LNG industry, especially in LNG shipping and LNG as a marine fuel, make him a valuable addition to our board.”
CPLP currently owns 23 vessels, including seven modern LNG carriers.
The LNG vessels are fixed to key charterers, including energy major BP, US producer Cheniere Energy, France’s Engie and Hartree Partners on multi-year charters.
Along with CPLP’s seven LNG carriers, Marinakis’ private interests also hold LNG vessels under its Capital Gas arm, which, including newbuildings, bumps up the total LNG fleet to 20 ships.
The company ordered 18 of the LNG carriers as newbuildings — which deliver through into 2027 — but has also added two secondhand vessels.
Of these, industry players said PetroChina recently took the 138,000-cbm steam turbine LNG carrier Trader II (built 2022) on charter for 12 months at a rate in the high $50,000 per day range. The vessel was previously on hire to the Chinese energy giant.
