Japan’s Astomos adds LPG-fuelled VLGC to fleet

Spanish Market: Freight, LPG
06/09/24

Japanese LPG importer Astomos Energy has commissioned a very large gas carrier (VLGC) with a dual-fuel LPG engine, adding to its existing fleet of 26.

Astomos on 4 September commissioned the 86,953m³ Liverty Pathfinder, which was built by shipbuilder Kawasaki Heavy Industries at its Sakaide shipyard in southwest Japan's Kagawa prefecture and is co-owned by shipping firm NYK. The VLGC is the fourth co-owned vessel with NYK, adding to Gas Capricorn in 2003, Gas Garnet and Gas Amethyst in 2024.

The VLGC can use LPG as a bunker fuel from a cargo tank. It is possible to reduce more than 95pc of sulphur oxide and more than 20pc of carbon dioxide emissions when the vessel uses LPG as a marine fuel compared with conventional fuel oil, Astomos said.

Japan currently imports 10mn t/yr of LPG to cover 12mn t/yr of domestic demand, according to the Japan LP Gas Association.

By Reina Maeda

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04/12/25

Контейнерные перевозки через Каспий подорожают

Riga, 4 December (Argus) — Стоимость транспортировки контейнеров по Транскаспийскому международному транспортному маршруту (ТМТМ) в декабре вырастет относительно октября — ноября. Тарифы увеличатся на фоне ожидаемой отмены скидок, которые транспортные компании вводили для привлечения грузов, полагают участники рынка. Стоимость контейнерных перевозок снижалась последние четыре месяца. Стоимость перевозки 40-футового высокого контейнера (40HQ) из Сианя в Абшерон (Баку) в декабре увеличится до $5 500—5 600/40HQ с $5 350—5 400/40HQ — месяцем ранее, полагают экспедиторы. Срок прохождения контейнерными поездами маршрута Сиань — Алтынколь — Актау — Алят — Абшерон в ноябре составлял 14—18 суток, как и месяцем ранее, рассказали перевозчики. Стоимость перевозок контейнеров из китайского Иу, а также с прилегающих станций на востоке Китая в Абшерон в декабре составит $5 500—6 900/40HQ относительно $5 350—7 050/40HQ в ноябре, сообщили участники рынка со ссылкой на прайс-лист Maersk. К увеличению стоимости контейнерных перевозок могут также привести неблагоприятные погодные условия в зимнее время на Каспии и в Черном море, что ограничит морскую транспортировку контейнеров, полагают перевозчики. Стоимость перевозки из Сианя в турецкий Мерсин/Амбарлы транзитом через Апшерон/Алят в ноябре составила $5 800—7 250/40HQ, как и месяцем ранее. Отгрузки контейнеров из Иу на терминал Амбарлы в Турции в декабре могут подешеветь до $5 800—6 700/40HQ с $6 300—7 200/40HQ на фоне разовых скидок к тарифам, предоставляемых Maersk, сообщили экспедиторы. В Азербайджане, Грузии и Казахстане по-прежнему простаивает несколько тысяч порожних контейнеров, по данным участников рынка на конец ноября. Компаниям не удается найти достаточно груза для обратной отправки контейнеров в Китай, сообщил представитель транспортной компании. В январе — октябре Азербайджанская железная дорога (АЖД) увеличила на 32% прием контейнерных блок-поездов по ТМТМ по сравнению с аналогичным периодом прошлого года, доведя их количество до 317 блок-поездов, в том числе 119 транзитных поездов, говорится в официальном сообщении АЖД. В Бакинском международном морском порту (Алят) в январе — октябре объем перевалки контейнеров увеличился на 38% относительно того же периода прошлого года и составил 86 тыс. ДФЭ (двадцатифутовый эквивалент), сообщает АЖД, владеющая портом. ________________ Больше ценовой информации и аналитических обзоров рынка транспортировки грузов в странах Каспийского региона и Центральной Азии — в отчете Argus Транспорт Каспия . Вы можете присылать комментарии по адресу или запросить дополнительную информацию feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Группа Argus Media . Все права защищены.

Vancouver Aframax rates decline

03/12/25

Vancouver Aframax rates decline

Houston, 3 December (Argus) — An increase of Aframaxes on the Pacific side of the Americas positioning towards Asia-Pacific lowered eastbound rates out of Vancouver, as well as rates for short-haul voyages to the US west coast. The rate to ship 80,000t of crude, or about 550,000 bl of Cold Lake, from Vancouver to China fell to $3mn lumpsum on Wednesday, down by $400,000 from the start of December. That rate, the lowest in more than a month, was equivalent to $5.54/bl for Cold Lake. Suncor put the Esteem Cowboy on subjects for that rate and route loading from 19-20 December. The deal followed a pair of Aframaxes put on subjects earlier in the week for the same route at $3.25mn. There were approximately 34 Aframaxes available to load out of Vancouver over the next 20-24 days, according to analytics platform Vortexa. That was up from 22 Aframaxes available from the same point in November. Even with rates falling, demand has kept levels buoyed above where they averaged during the summer months. Canadian heavy waterborne crudes are more competitively priced into China so far in December than grades from the Mideast Gulf. The Vancouver-China Aframax rate dipped below $2mn in June, held above that level for most of July, and hovered just below that level through most of August. The rate for a USWC-bound voyage was also lower this week compared with last week, though levels remain higher from the dip seen in the middle of November. The Vancouver-USWC Aframax rate has hovered at Worldscale (WS) 250 since 1 December, equivalent to $3.13/bl for Cold Lake, after holding at WS255 since 19 November. The rate for that route dipped to WS230 in the middle of November but rose through the rest of that month, pushed up as the number of available Aframaxes were siphoned away by Asia-Pacific-bound voyages. Direct transpacific shipments remove vessels from the west coast North America market for about 45 days. Charterers' preferences shifted in 2024 to ship crude directly from Vancouver to destinations in Asia-Pacific, as opposed to traveling down the US west coast to discharge onto a very large crude carrier (VLCC) in the Pacific Area Lightering (PAL) zone. But even with US-China port fees on pause for virtually a year, that will likely remain the preference. The direct route saves time and, with VLCC rate still firm, remains cost-effective. By David Haydon Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Saudi Arabia brings giant Jafurah gas project onstream

03/12/25

Saudi Arabia brings giant Jafurah gas project onstream

Dubai, 3 December (Argus) — Saudi state-controlled Aramco has begun production from the first phase of the giant Jafurah natural gas project, the finance ministry said late on Tuesday. In its 2026 budget statement, the finance ministry listed the phase one start-up as one of Saudi Arabia's achievements in 2025. It didn't specify a date, but it is likely to have been in the past few days. It said production began at 450mn ft³/d, which is two and a half times the rate at which Aramco had long projected. With in-place reserves of 229 trillion ft³ (6.87 trillion m³) of raw gas and 75bn bl of condensate, Jafurah is the largest unconventional gas field in the Mideast Gulf and represents a major pillar of Aramco's ambitious gas expansion plans. Aramco has yet to announce the start up. It previously said it expects to lift sales gas output ꟷ or net production ꟷ to 650mn ft³/d by the end of 2026 in phase one. It is unclear if this stronger-than-anticipated start-up rate could translate into a higher end-2026 target. A second phase is scheduled to come on stream in 2027, to lift production to 2bn ft³/d by the end of the decade, Aramco has said. Aramco has an ambitious programme to expand gas production by more than 80pc by the end of the decade, relative to a 2021 baseline of 9.2bn ft³/d. This implies output of at least 14.7bn ft³/d by 2030, with Jafurah delivering more than one-third of the increase. Jafurah will also produce about 420mn ft³/d of ethane and 630,000 b/d of NGLs and condensate as by-products by 2030. The ethane and NGLs will be sent to the Riyas fractionation plant, which is being built as part of the phase two development. The condensate will be sent to the Juaymah terminal, where Aramco is expanding its storage and export facilities. By Nader Itayim Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Idemitsu, Kanematsu start biofuel supply for ships

03/12/25

Idemitsu, Kanematsu start biofuel supply for ships

Osaka, 3 December (Argus) — Japanese refiner Idemitsu and trading house Kanematsu have started supplying biofuel mixed with fatty acid methyl ester (Fame) for oceangoing ships, to help reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the maritime sector, the companies said today. In October, Idemitsu began bunkering cleaner fuel oil, which includes up to 24pc of Fame, for oceangoing ships, using Kanematsu' storage and shipping facilities in southern Japan's Kokura, a spokesperson at Idemitsu told Argus on 3 December. Under this partnership, Kanematsu procures Fame and blends it with fuel oil supplied by Idemitsu. The Fame mixture will cut GHG emissions by around 20pccompared with conventional fuel, Kanematsu said. Idemitsu aims to deliver a total of 5,000t of bio-blended fuel by March 2026, including supply for domestic vessels. This is equivalent to the amount of fuel consumed by a 300,000 dwt vessel during about 50 days of operation, the company added. The start of their commercial operations comes after Idemitsu's demonstration in northern Hokkaido , where it tested bunkering operations for coastal vessels with fuel containing 24pc Fame in 2023-24. Idemitsu is also gearing up to develop a supply chain for low-carbon methanol for vessels, aiming to start methanol bunkering from the April 2026-March 2027 fiscal year. By Motoko Hasegawa Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

G20 launch clean cooking infrastructure investment plan

02/12/25

G20 launch clean cooking infrastructure investment plan

G20 leaders endorsed an infrastructure investment plan for Africa during last month's summit, writes Waldemar Jaszczyk London, 2 December (Argus) — South Africa succeeded in making access to clean cooking in Africa a defining issue of its G20 presidency following the summit in the country late last month, after leaders endorsed an infrastructure investment plan for the continent. But a combination of supply shortages and logistical bottlenecks are derailing the LPG market's expansion at home. The G20 leaders' declaration , adopted on 22 November at the summit in Johannesburg, launched the Voluntary Infrastructure Investment Action Plan to close the clean cooking access gap in sub-Saharan Africa. It provides the strongest political recognition to date of the clean cooking crisis in Africa, with explicit inclusion of LPG as a part of the solution. The group acknowledged access to such fuels as a global energy challenge, expressing deep alarm over 2mn deaths a year caused on the continent from indoor air pollution from traditional fuel use. All countries bar the US backed the plan. The plan outlines a set of voluntary measures required to scale up investment in fuels, infrastructure and last-mile distribution of clean cooking fuels, noting that 75pc of those in sub-Saharan Africa that gained access to clean cooking in the past five years was through LPG. It calls for African governments to align their energy and fiscal policies with clean cooking goals by elevating it as a national priority. Donor states were encouraged to increase concessional financing, with additional funding coming through long-term carbon credit offtake agreements and mobilising the private sector. The group also suggests establishing an infrastructure investment fund and risk-sharing instruments to increase lending to clean cooking companies. The World Liquid Gas Association (WLGA) calls the declaration a major opportunity to anchor LPG in clean cooking policy, financing, and development pathways across the continent. Standing elevation It was the first time clean cooking in Africa was elevated as a standing discussion item at a G20 summit. But South Africa's successes in this regard fails to reflect its struggles to transition to LPG at home, panellists said at the G20 Africa Energy Investment Forum held the previous day in Johannesburg. Refinery closures and a fragmented transport network have constrained LPG market growth despite demand being relatively modest at under 500,000 t/yr, state-owned PetroSA interim chief executive Sesakho Magadla said. Domestic LPG output almost halved to 123,000t in 2024 from 235,000t in 2020, Argus Consulting data show, following the closure of Engen's 105,000 b/d and Sapref's 180,000 b/d refineries near Durban. This has left the market entirely dependent on imports, which grew by 140pc to 589,000t over the four years to 2024. Getting the refineries back online to reduce imports is a priority, Magadla said. Restoring PetroSA's 45,000 b/d gas-to-liquids plant at Mossel Bay has faced "competition challenges" but is back on track after the government began seeking new partners to revive the site. The plant has been idle since 2020 and was a major domestic LPG supplier. State-owned oil firm SANPC is restarting the Sapref refinery in Durban and expects to redeploy its storage infrastructure this year. Logistical bottlenecks are also preventing large parts of the country receiving supply. PetroSA plans to improve rail links — particularly from Saldanha Bay — to ease congestion and move LPG at scale. Saldanha Bay hosts Sunrise Energy's 210,000 t/yr LPG import terminal and could soon be joined by state-owned Strategic Fuel Fund's planned 192,000 t/yr facility . The Western Cape province remains reliant on imports and faces chronic shortages during peak winter demand. Another challenge for the region is import capacity limitations, trading firm Petredec said. This problem, as well as poor logistics, add about a 10-20pc premium to delivered prices, or $100/t outright, the IEA said. Africa urgently needs infrastructure capable of handling higher volumes, including terminals that can receive VLGCs, Petredec communications head Tamsin Donaldson said. Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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Japan’s Astomos adds LPG-fuelled VLGC to fleet

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