Norway’s Knutsen OAS Shipping is being linked to an LNG carrier order at Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries that was confirmed in the past two weeks.
TradeWinds understands the 174,000-cbm vessel has been contracted against a period employment.
This is believed to be with French electricity utility Engie. It is something of a mystery as to why Engie requires an LNG carrier after shedding most of its upstream gas assets in 2018 in favour of renewables. But the company is believed to have some LNG agreements remaining in its portfolio.
The newbuilding, which will be fitted with a Mark III Flex cargo containment system, is due to be delivered in the final quarter of 2023.
Both Knutsen and Engie have been contacted about the newbuilding order.
Knutsen has been racking up LNG newbuildings and has now boosted its fleet to at least 25 LNG carriers.
The company is listed on Clarksons Shipping Intelligence Network as having 10 vessels on order. Seven of the vessels are fixed against term-charters to energy major Shell.
These include six 174,000-cbm vessels at Hyundai Samho for delivery from June 2022 to the end of 2023.
The company has three 174,000-cbm vessels on order at Hyundai Heavy Industries for handover from the end of 2022 to 2024.
Knutsen also has a 5,000-cbm LNG bunker vessel under construction in Spain, which was contracted against a Shell charter.
In addition to the newbuildings, Knutsen has a further 15 LNG carriers, made up of a mix of steam turbine, tri-fuel diesel-electric vessels and some larger two-stroke gas-injection ships.
