Japanese shipowner NYK Line is being linked to an order for three LNG carrier newbuildings at one of the highest prices logged to date.
Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering Co (KSOE) said it won a $765m order to build three LNG carriers.
It said the 174,000-cbm vessels will be built at Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries and delivered before the end of 2027.
The company did not name the contracting party except to describe it as “a North American shipper”.
TradeWinds has contacted NYK for confirmation and comment on the orders.
KSOE said the $255m vessel price on the ships is the highest paid for LNG carriers of this size.
To date, the highest price logged for LNG carriers was around $253m. These were optional slots firmed up by Capital Gas in January for delivery dates at the end of 2026.
This week’s orders by NYK have prompted speculation that the ships must be linked to firm employment.
Industry players pointed to upcoming final investment decisions on up to four US liquefaction projects, which are believed to be imminent. They suggested these newbuildings could be backed by offtakers from these developments.
NYK already has at least 19 firm LNG carriers on order in South Korea and China. The company is building 12 with partners against QatarEnergy charters. Separately, the Japanese owner has four LNG carriers building for Russia’s Novatek and two booked for term business with EDF Energy.
KSOE, which is the holding company for several Hyundai shipyards, has netted over $6bn-worth of orders for 44 ships to date in 2023.
This stacks up at nearly 39% of its annual $15.74bn sales target.
