Eric Watkins
Senior Correspondent
LOS ANGELES, Nov. 23 -- Suez LNG Trading SA of France has signed a 20-year contract with three Japanese firms for the transport of LNG from Yemen to the US and Europe.
Under the contract, Mitsui OSK Lines Ltd., Sumitomo Corp., and LNG Japan Corp. will establish a company to transport 700,000 tonnes/year of LNG over 20 years.
The venture will lease a 154,200 cu m LNG tanker, which is to be built by Imabari Shipbuilding Co. The tanker will have a transport capacity of about 90,000 tonnes of LNG.
Deliveries will begin in May 2009 from a liquefaction plant in Yemen under construction near Bal Haf on the Gulf of Aden (OGJ, Sept. 26, 2005, Newsletter). Production is to begin by yearend 2008.
Suez LNG also said on Nov. 22 it signed an agreement with Trinity LNG Carrier Inc. for the charter of an LNG carrier from 2009.
The group said the vessel will primarily be used to supply the US with LNG. No financial details were disclosed.
In October, Suez LNG signed two 20-year charter agreements with Bergesen Worldwide Gas ASA for a pair of LNG carriers to deliver Yemen LNG to North America (OGJ Online, Oct 25, 2005).
Suez LNG signed a 2.5 million tonne/year contract with Yemen LNG in August for deliveries to its terminal at Everett, Mass., and other North American regasification facilities.
Contact Eric Watkins at [email protected].