TotalEnergies has inked a long-planned charter with Spanish shipowner Ibaizabal Group for an 18,600-cbm LNG bunker vessel newbuilding on order at Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding (Group) in China.
The French energy major, which ranks itself as the world’s third-largest LNG player, said the vessel “might be deployed in Oman” where the company is building the 1 mtpa Marsa LNG project, which is designed to supply LNG dual-fuelled ships in the region.
In July, TradeWinds named the Ibaizabal Group as the charterer that had scooped the newbuilding deal. The shipbuilder confirmed the order for the vessel later that month.
The LNGBV is understood to be priced at more than $90m and to be backed by a seven-year plus charter to TotalEnergies.
The newbuilding will be fourth that TotalEnergies operates along side the 18,600 Gas Agility (built 2020) out of the Port of Rotterdam, sistership Gas Vitality (built 2021) in the Port of Marseille, France, and the 12,000-cbm Brassavola (built 2023), which is shared with Pavilion Energy, in Singapore.
The company is also planning to place an LNGBV in the Port of Long Beach on the US west coast.
Louise Tricoire, TotalEnergies senior vice president, aviation and marine fuels, said the charter reinforces the company’s position as “a main player in LNG bunkering”.
She said: “With new LNG-fuelled vessels coming on stream at a rapid pace, we are committed to playing our part in responding to the sector’s increasing demand for this fuel which can help global shipping meet its decarbonisation ambitions.”
Ibaizabal Group chief executive Jorge Zickermann said the newbuilding project: “falls within our strategy of decarbonising the maritime industry, together with a leading company in the LNG field, while enhancing the already long-term relationship in shipping with TotalEnergies”.
The company currently controls the 600-cbm LNG and oil bunkering vessel Oizmendi (built 2009).
According to the newly renamed SGMF, the safety and industry body for bunkering gaseous marine fuels, there are now 65 LNGBVs in operation. Classification society DNV lists another 24 vessels on order.
TotalEnergies has identified a shortfall of up to 40 large LNGBVs which it has said are required by 2030 to meet the nominal demand of up to 22 mtpa from the new wave of delivering and on-order LNG dual-fuelled newbuildings.
