A Vietnamese buyer is being named as the purchaser of the last of three LNG carriers put up for sale by Sweden’s Stena Bulk as it exits LNG shipowning.
Stena said it delivered the 145,000-cbm Stena Blue Sky (2006) to its “Asian buyer” in Singapore today.
This follows the shipowner’s earlier sale of two larger sister ships, the tri-fuel diesel-electric, 173,400-cbm Stena Clear Sky and Stena Crystal Sky (both built 2011), to BW LNG in March at estimated prices of about $145m each.
The now Singapore-flagged ships have been renamed BW ENN Clear Sky and BW ENN Crystal Sky.
Stena did not name the purchaser of the steam turbine-driven Stena Blue Sky, which has most recently been on charter to US producer Cheniere Energy.
TradeWinds understands the buyer is from Vietnam and plans to use the vessel for storage.
Those following the business said the South Korean-built ship had been sold for over $65m reflecting its larger size, condition and specifications.
All three ice-class, winterised vessels were originally contracted by Taiwanese shipowner Nobu Su’s Today Makes Tomorrow. The then Blue Sky was named after his father.
Stena Bulk president and chief executive Erik Hanell said: “This sale aligns with our strategic vision as we explore new avenues of growth within our fleet.”
“We look forward to new opportunities for the Stena Bulk fleet and for our company,” Hanell said. “As we navigate this transition, we remain steadfast in our commitment to optimising our fleet, while simultaneously driving innovation and expansion.”
Stena originally floated the three LNG carriers for sale in June 2023 along with its technology business unit Stena Power & LNG Solutions which aims to provide jettyless solutions to deliver LNG, ammonia, CO2 and gas-to-power along with regasification terminals.
The shipowner had originally been keen to offload all three LNG carriers and the business unit in one hit. But watchers of the sale said it became clear that the main interest was in the vessels, with the technology unit less easy to value.
The Swedish owner said: “As part of an ongoing sales process, Stena Bulk and Stena Power & LNG Solutions are actively maintaining dialogues with several interested parties regarding a potential straight sale of the business unit, or co-investment in its future.”
The conclusion of the sale of Stena’s last remaining LNG carrier marks the end of a brief sortie into the sector for the company.
Stena bought the LNG carrier trio from Su in 2011 for $700m in total, paying $260m each on the TFDE vessels, which at the time were being sold as undelivered resales, and $180m on the then-trading steamship.
The company then booked LNG newbuilding slots at two South Korean yards but did not proceed with these or expand its fleet further with its LNG vessels being flagged up as consolidation candidates.
