Avenir inducts 'world's largest' LNG bunker vessel

UK-headquartered LNG supplier Avenir LNG has expanded its fleet to six vessels by taking delivery of a new dual-purpose bunker vessel.

PHOTO: Avenir's LNG bunker vessel Avenir Achievement. Avenir LNG

The 20,000 cbm-capacity vessel Avenir Achievement was built by China’s Nantong CIMC Sinopacific Offshore & Engineering. It can be operated as an LNG carrier or bunkering vessel.

The vessel is equipped with a boil-off gas (BOG) reliquefication system to prevent gas from evaporating, and can carry out simultaneous operations (SIMOPs), making it a versatile LNG bunkering vessel, says Avenir.

Avenir Achievement is the world’s largest LNG bunkering vessel, claims Avenir.

The vessel will initially be chartered to US-based energy company New Fortress Energy for six months, and then to Shell for three years from the first quarter of next year with an option for another five years.

Last month, classification society DNV said it projects the global fleet of LNG bunker vessels will not grow fast enough to cater to demand from a rapidly expanding LNG-fuelled fleet. It has registered a global fleet of 37 LNG bunker vessels, with 19 more on order.

“We continue to see enormous growth potential in the small-scale LNG segment, and we expect to announce our phase-2 growth programme in the second half of 2022, bringing additional small-scale LNG terminals and vessels into the market,” said Avenir LNG’s chief Peter Mackey.