Golar LNG senior vice president and head of shipping Marius Foss resigned from the Tor Olav Troim-led company this week, amid talk that he will be joining a rival outfit.

LNG industry mobiles were alive with talk that Foss, who is well-known in the sector’s chartering circles, has accepted a similar position at John Frediksen's Flex LNG.

Foss declined to comment when contacted by TradeWinds.

Flex LNG chief executive Jon Cook, who confirmed that his company has been in the market for a chartering manager as its six LNG newbuildings are delivered, said: “I can neither confirm or deny the market rumours.”

Foss’ resignation from Golar LNG was confirmed by in a circular from The Cool Pool — the LNG carrier pooling venture run between Dynagas, GasLog and Golar.

On Wednesday, the pool said: “As you may have heard in the market, Marius Foss has resigned from Golar LNG Ltd. Consequently his secondment to The Cool Pool has ended with immediate effect, and Marius will from today no longer be active commercially in Cool Pool.”

Foss previously worked for Inge Steensland companies in the petrochemicals business before joining Frontline Management where he rose to become chartering manager.

He is known in broking circles for his tough approach and is highly rated as a charterer.

If confirmed Foss’ move from Tor Olav Troim-led Golar LNG to John Fredriksen’s Flex LNG is set to reignite talk of the ongoing rivalry between the two big shipowning names. They famously split their business interests in 2014.

Fredriksen bought Flex LNG and has gone on to build up the business into an LNG shipping company. This year the Norwegian owner contracted four LNG newbuildings, through his shipowning companies although he has yet to add these vessels to the Flex fleet.

But those following Golar LNG closer suggest that LNG shipping may no longer be the top priority for Troim’s outfit, with hints dropped by management that the pure vessel side of the business is under review.

New York-listed Golar LNG has recently been focusing its efforts into getting its first floating LNG unit, the Hilli Episeyo off Cameroon, into production and bringing the Sergipe gas-to-power project into play in Brazil.