INEOS Energy Trading has chartered two 174,000-cu m newbuild LNG carriers from Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL). The ships will transport LNG to Germany from the US and mark INEOS first foray into the LNG carrier market.
INEOS last year entered a 20-year agreement with Sempra Infrastructure to purchase 1.4 million tonnes/year (tpy) from Sempra’s 13.5-million tpy first phase Port Arthur LNG plant under development in Jefferson County, Tex. (OGJ Online, Dec. 1, 2022). INEOS earlier in 2022 signed a contract for long-term regasification capacity at NV Nederlandse Gasunie subsidiary CS Gas North SA’s planned land-based 8 billion cu m/year German LNG terminal in Brunsbüttel, Germany.
Sempra expects Port Arthur LNG first 6.75-million tpy train to begin commercial operations in 2027, with Train 2 following in 2028 (OGJ Online, Mar. 20, 2023). Construction at Brunsbüttel is expected to be complete in 2026 (OGJ Online, Mar. 6, 2023).
The vessels are being built at Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering’s Okpo Shipyard in South Korea. They will join INEOS’ existing fleet of 12 dedicated ethane carriers and be used to service the company’s own demand for natural gas as well as that of select third parties.
