Japan’s shipping giant MOL has signed a new long-term deal to charter one newbuild liquefied natural gas carrier to compatriot LNG trading and power firm Jera.
MOL said in a statement on Wednesday it has signed the long-term charter deal with a vessel operation management company funded by Jera.
The firm did not provide the duration of the charter.
According to MOL, this is the seventh LNG carrier charter contract for the two firms and follows a deal announced in October last year.
MOL said that South Korea’s Samsung Heavy Industries will build the 174,000-cbm LNG carrier and deliver it in 2026.
The new vessel will feature MAN Energy Solutions ME-GA engine.
It will be 290 meters long and 45.8 meters wide.
MOL expects its huge fleet of LNG carriers to increase to 104 vessels by March 31, 2025.
This includes LNG carriers owned and/or operated by joint venture companies.
According to MOL, the firm had 94 LNG carriers in its fleet in the first quarter of 2023 and 97 LNG carriers in the first quarter of this year.
MOL also previously said that it has more than 30 LNG carriers on order.
As of March 31, 2024 MOL’s fleet also included five FSUs/FSRUs, three LNG bunkering vessels, one LNG powership, six ethane carriers, and 20 LPG/ammonia ships.