Japan’s shipping giant MOL has signed a new 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 LNG carrier will be managed by MOL and will transport LNG for Jera.
MOL did not provide the duration of the charter.
According to MOL, this is the sixth LNG carrier charter contract for the two firms and follows a deal announced in June this year.
MOL said that South Korea’s Samsung Heavy Industries will build the 174,000-cbm LNG carrier and deliver it in 2027.
Also, the new vessel will feature MAN Energy Solutions ME-GA engine.
It will be 299.4 meters long and 46.4 meters wide.
Samsung Heavy recently announced an order for one 174,000-cbm LNG carrier tied to MOL and worth about $260 million.
The shipbuilder said it will deliver this LNG carrier by September 2026.
Prior to this order, Samsung Heavy secured a contract from MOL to build two LNG carriers for about $258.5 million per vessel and two more LNG carriers for MOL for about $248 million per vessel.
Samsung Heavy will deliver these vessels in 2026-2027.