Cheniere adds another three new LNG carriers to fleet

US operator Cheniere Energy has finalised long-term charters with Danish shipowner Celsius Shipping for the three LNG carriers that remain on the owner's orderbook — each due for delivery next year.

The three 180,000m³ carriers will lift Cheniere's fleet additions for 2021 to at least six, with the operator also scheduled to take receipt of three newbuild carriers under charter from New York-listed shipowner Gaslog. Cheniere also received four vessels earlier this year.

A larger term-chartered fleet could reduce Cheniere's demand for spot and short-term charters to cover peak tonnage demand periods, such as those over the winter period. The firm's trading arm markets production from its 25mn t/yr Sabine Pass and 10mn t/yr Corpus Christi export terminals that is not tied to offtake agreements signed for the two projects.

The marketing subsidiary expected to sell around 7.5mn t/yr of excess production in 2020. The firm also has a 1.45mn t/yr delivered supply agreement with Poland's state-controlled PGNiG and a put option for up to 12 deliveries a year to France's Montoir terminal under an agreement initially signed with French utility Engie. Cheniere also has a sales agreement with Austria's OMV, but has not disclosed the volume of supply under contract.

One of the three tankers due to be supplied by Celsius to Cheniere — the 180,000m³ Celsius Canberra — has been delayed from December this year and is currently undergoing gas trials with South Korean shipbuilder Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI), with delivery expected in 2021. SHI is also building the other two vessels — Hulls 2313 and 2314 — scheduled for February and April, respectively.

Celsius, which received its first LNG carrier — the 180,000m³ Celsius Copenhagen — in October, is joined by fellow owners Flex LNG, TMS Cardiff and Sovcomflot, which have all recently faced newbuild delivery delays.

By Samuel Good