May/June 2015
Shipmanagement: the struggle to recruit and keep talent
Mapping the world’s FSRUs and tomorrow’s import projects Can China’s shipyards grow their LNG orderbooks? “We don’t want to sacrifice the safety and quality of our shipmanagement service as a result of our expansion” Yuzuru Goto, managing director, K Line LNG Shipping (UK), see page 51
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contents
May/June 2015
13 Skangass is expanding the Nordic LNG supply chain J Haga
comment 5 Consolidating LNG liquefaction projects can cut costs as market conditions change
analysis 7 After a stagnant 2014, the International Group of LNG Importers (GIIGNL) looks forward to evolving demand as new projects come on stream
32
FSRUs from nowhere: your exclusive guide to tomorrow’s offshore import projects
shipbuilding 11 Huihui Chen reports from China on how, despite uncertainty about energy prices and short-term demand, the country’s shipyards see opportunity in LNG
Scandinavia 13 Last year’s takeover of Skangass by Finland-based Gasum positions the Norwegian company to extend the Nordic LNG supply chain, building new terminals and chartering bunker-supply ships
48 The 70,000 dwt oil shuttle tanker Mikhail Ulyanov is designed for Arctic waters
offshore LNG 32 Have we got FSRUs for you: LNG World Shipping presents an exclusive infographic, showing where today’s floating import ventures are based and where new projects are planned
cargo transfer 34 Nexans redesigns its flexible LNG pipes for offshore use
51
jetties and mooring
Yuzuru Goto: K Line LNG will not sacrifice quality or safety as it grows
44 Learning the ropes: Syd Harris reports on how manufacturers must innovate to cater to larger LNG carriers and to growth in the small-scale segment
LNG world shipping | May/June 2015
1
contents ice-class
May/June 2015
48 Russian Maritime Register of Shipping takes LNG into harsh new environments Editor: Karen Thomas t: +44 20 8370 1717 e: karen.thomas@rivieramm.com
shipmanagement 51 The market may be sluggish, but shipmanagement companies must retain skilled and talented LNG crews as a new flurry of newbuildings is about to hit the water
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viewpoint 60 SIGTTO general manager Andrew Clifton looks at the opportunities and challenges for gas shipping as US exports create new, long-haul ethylene trades
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29 SHIPS 36 STATISTICS: SHIPS ON ORDER 40 STATISTICS: THE LNG CARRIER FLEET
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57 EQUIPMENT AND SERVICES
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comment
Consolidation trail offers LNG path of least resistance Mike Corkhill, Consultant Editor
Changing market conditions have intensified the focus on the costcutting opportunities offered by LNG liquefaction project consolidation
T
he financial foundation stones on which recent
a US$8.7 billion impairment soon after the first cargo
LNG projects have been built have taken a
was loaded in December 2014.
knock as a result of the plunge in energy prices
Some degree of rationalisation at Gladstone has
over the past nine months. Project developers, faced
taken place as a result of the agreed acquisition of BG by
with lower returns and much longer periods before their
Shell. Shell had planned a fourth project for Gladstone,
investments begin to pay off, have been forced to write
Arrow LNG, in partnership with PetroChina. However,
down their assets.
the plan was formally abandoned in January 2015 in
Elsewhere, companies that had been on the brink
light of the deteriorating market conditions. On the plus
of final investment decisions for new projects have
side Shell will now be able to make its Queensland gas
opted for delays while they reassess the impact of
reserves available to BG’s QCLNG plant for liquefaction.
high development costs, slowing market demand and
The Shell-BG tie-up will also help avoid some
regulatory and compliance burdens on the viability of
duplication on the other side of the Pacific. Amongst the
their proposed schemes.
20 or so LNG export projects of various sizes proposed
One location where the new market conditions
for British Columbia on Canada’s West Coast are one
have come squarely into focus is the Australian port
each by Shell and BG. It is forecast that at most three of
of Gladstone, where three new liquefaction plants
the larger schemes will come to fruition. Shell can now
are currently coming on stream. The US$16 billion
concentrate on the most viable of its own two schemes
Queensland Curtis LNG (QCLNG), US$15 billion
in the drive to be one of the few successes.
Gladstone LNG (GLNG) and US$20 billion Asia Pacific
Pressure is growing to explore LNG project
LNG (APLNG) facilities are sited adjacent to each other
consolidation opportunities wherever they may occur,
on the port’s Curtis Island and all are making use of gas
from terminals and related infrastructure to gas supply
that arrives by pipe from the seams of the vast coal fields
deals and purchase agreements at the buyer’s end. The
of Queensland over 450km away.
Shell and BG boards have reviewed current challenges
Hindsight is a fine thing but the multinationals
and future opportunities and decided a better-together
behind these projects must be wondering now if some
approach constitutes the optimum route forward. They
sort of consolidation of their initiatives, beyond a few
also agree that their decision is in the best interest of the
agreements to share pipeline capacity, might not have
two sets of shareholders.
been a good idea. Due to the energy price slide BG Group, promoters of QCLNG, was forced into declaring
The stage is set for others to follow the example set by Shell and BG. LNG
The first Gladstone export cargo is loaded at the QCLNG terminal in December 2014
LNG world shipping | May/June 2015
7
analysis
2014 – another year on the LNG plateau GIIGNL’s 2014 industry review shows that the long-awaited surge in global LNG movements remained stubbornly out of reach
L
ast year the worldwide trade in LNG once again fell into the 236-241 million tonnes (mt) band, a range it has inhabited for the last four years. A
total of 239.2mt was moved on the world’s oceans in 2014, following 236.9mt in 2013, 236.3mt in 2012 and 240.8mt in 2011. The latter year was the last in which significant growth in world LNG trade was recorded, the industry’s highest ever annual total being 9.4 per cent ahead of the 2010 figure of 220.1mt. The increase in Japanese demand following the March 2011 tsunami and the subsequent
Mexico was the largest LNG importer in the Americas
shutdown of the country’s 50-plus nuclear reactors were responsible for most of the 2011 trade spurt.
The GIIGNL numbers for LNG imports and exports
All these numbers are to be found in the LNG
by country in 2014 are shown in the accompanying table,
industry’s best annual compilation of trade, fleet and
which includes the changes in volumes compared with
terminal statistics. The International Group of Liquefied
2013. The organisation’s latest review points out that
Natural Gas Importers (GIIGNL) logs all LNG carrier
spot and short-term LNG delivered under agreements
voyages and cargo discharges and, through the statistics
of four years or less reached 69.6mt, or 29 per cent of
compiled in its recently published The LNG Industry
total trade, in 2014. The level was up from 27 per cent
in 2014, has been able to provide an unprecedented
in 2013 and 25 per cent in 2012. Asian buyers accounted
overview of last year’s developments.
for 74 per cent of spot and short-term volumes in 2014,
There is no doubt that the LNG industry is poised
in line with the region’s share of overall LNG imports.
for significant growth, viz the current record LNGC
Middle East producers remained the main source of such
orderbook and the 11 major liquefaction plants due to
cargoes, despatching 43 per cent of the overall volume.
come on stream in Australia and the US in the next few
“Traditional procurement models are changing as new
years. The rise in LNG traffic was due to begin in 2014,
players with different business models emerge,” explained
albeit slowly, but events once again contrived to keep
GIIGNL president Domenico Dispenza in the report. “New
the bandwagon on the starting line.
procurement alliances are being formed and new commercial
Who was to know that the price of oil would go into freefall in July 2014, creating uncertainties across the energy
offerings are being structured in the drive for enhanced flexibility in terms of both destination and pricing.”
spectrum and causing delays in final investment decisions?
According to GIIGNL, a total of 108 cargoes, or 6.4mt,
Who was to know that a combination of warm weather,
were re-exported from import terminals in 2014, Spain
strong inventories and slowing economies would temper the
accounting for 60 per cent of this traffic and Europe as a
robust demand for LNG that Asia has been experiencing
whole 95 per cent. Reload volumes last year were 51 per
in recent years? Who was to know that the new Angolan
cent ahead of 2013 levels but this type of operation is already
liquefaction plant would suffer commissioning difficulties,
falling away significantly in 2015 due to the disappearing
necessitating an 18-month shutdown for major repairs?
differential in Asian and European LNG prices.
And who was to know that Egyptian LNG exports would dribble away to virtually nil within the space of two years?
The Atlantic Basin LNG trade remained more or less unchanged in 2014 compared with the previous year. If not
LNG world shipping | May/June 2015
9
analysis
for a handful of countries that increased their purchases,
Notwithstanding the continued pre-eminence of Qatar
the region’s traffic would have been considerably reduced.
as an LNG producer, the star turn was Papua New
In Europe the UK and Turkey stepped up their imports
Guinea, the world’s 19th LNG export nation. Startup
in 2014 while in the Americas it was Brazil, Mexico
at the 6.9 mta PNG LNG plant in late May 2014 was
and Puerto Rico. Every other Atlantic Basin importer
faultless and the facility exported 55 cargoes during the
recorded reduced traffic flows. Lithuania joined the LNG
year. The smooth operation continues; 24 cargoes were
importers club as its 30th member in late 2014, following
loaded during the first quarter of 2015 and the operator
the discharge of a couple of commissioning cargoes.
of Papua New Guinea’s most ambitious industrial
With the exception of Korea and Thailand, where imports were down, Asian importers recorded modest increases in purchases in 2014. The rate at which Chinese LNG imports rose last year was the lowest since the country unloaded its first cargo almost a decade ago. Singapore became an LNG importer during the year.
undertaking is targeting at least 90 shipments for this year as a whole. LNG New producer Papua New Guinea made an impressive entry onto the world LNG stage in 2014
Amongst the LNG exporters, Algeria, Nigeria and Abu Dhabi posted healthy output growth in 2014. LNG WORLD TRADE 2014 LNG importers Country Europe Belgium France Greece Italy Netherlands Portugal Spain Turkey UK Lithuania Region total Americas Argentina Brazil Chile Dominican Rep Mexico Puerto Rico Canada USA Region total Asia China India Indonesia Japan Korea Malaysia Singapore Taiwan Thailand Region total Middle East Dubai Israel Kuwait Region total World total
10
Volume (million tonnes)
Change 2013-14 (%)
0.97
-18.5
4.58 0.38 3.27 0.42 0.97 7.9 5.45 8.4 0.11 32.44
-22.9 -15.6 -19.3 -16.7 -34.9 -13.5 23.9 21.6 N/A -4.4
4.42 5.35 2.57 0.83 6.58 1.25 0.4 1.16 22.53
-6.4 28.9 -1.5 -1.2 16 7.8 -47.4 -38.9 3.30
18.98 14.54 1.56 89.2 37.62 1.65 1.68 13.45 11.4 180.1
2 11.4 9.1 1.40 -6.9 10 N/A 5.7 -3.4 1.2
1.34 0.08 2.68 4.1 239.18
16.5 -80 68.6 30.6 1
LNG WORLD TRADE 2014 LNG exporters Country
Volume (million tonnes)
Change 2013-14 (%)
12.72 0.33 0.31 3.38 19.14 3.55 13.09 52.53
17.7 0 -88.3 -10.3 16.2 16.4 -4.2 3.5
6.08 7.73 76.37 66.27 96.46
19.7 -7.4 -2.1 -8.1 -1.8
23.6 6.12 17.38 24.83 4.03 10.58 3.38 0.25 90.19 239.18
5.3 -11.8 -5.3 -1.2 -5.2 -1 N/A N/A 2.7 1
Atlantic Basin Algeria Angola Egypt Equatorial Guinea Nigeria Norway Trinidad Region total Middle East Abu Dhabi Oman Qatar Yemen Region total Pacific Basin Australia Brunei Indonesia Malaysia Peru Russia Papua New Guinea USA Region total World total
LNG world shipping | May/June 2015
shipbuilding
China shipyards target small to mid-scale LNG carriers As shipbuilders pursue a new niche, energy firms’ spending cuts are slowing LNGC bookings. Huihui Chen reports from China
M
ore Chinese shipyards are building capacity to diversify into small to mid-scale LNG carrier construction – despite warnings from
analysts that capital expenditure cuts by oil companies could slow demand for LNG transport and signs that delays already taking effect. Singapore-listed
Yangzijiang
Shipbuilding
has
clinched its first order from Evergas to build a pair of LNGCs valued at US$135 million. Yangzijiang executive chairman Ren Yuanlin told LNG World Shipping that this first foray into LNGC construction, building the two 27,500m3 vessels, will help the shipbuilder diversify into a niche that has yet to become overcrowded and competitive. To date, just six other Chinese yard operators have
Ren Yuanlin predicts positive demand for midsize LNGCs
secured LNGC contracts. Yangzijiang is pursuing small to mid-scale LNGC
research company Clarkson. Bestway has also teamed
construction, a strategy it shares with Cosco Dalian
up with Cosco and Jiangnan to deliver one 30,000m3
Shipyard,
and one 28,000m3 unit, both on order to CNOOC.
Zhejiang
Xinle
Shipbuilding,
Jiangnan
Shipbuilding and Sinopacific Shipbuilding.
However, construction of CNOOC’s remaining coastal
Small-scale LNGCs up to 30,000m3 are being built
LNG newbuildings is now likely to be delayed as lower
with C-tank containment systems that, according to Mr
oil prices have prompted the state oil company to cut its
Ren, require less upfront investment from shipbuilders
capital expenditure by 26-35 per cent.
compared with that needed for membrane-type, largescale LNGCs built in South Korea and Japan. Yangzijiang has licensed C-tank manufacturing technology from France and plans to build its first two LNGCs at its yard in Taicang City in Jiangsu province. Mr Ren said the shipbuilder’s eventual aim is to graduate up the scale, to target
80,000m3
units. Yangzijiang is said
to have collaborated with China State Shipbuilding Corpcontrolled Marine Design and Research Institute of China on a design for an 80,000m3 C-tank LNGC. Yangzijiang is the second China-based shipbuilder after Qidong-based Sinopacific Offshore & Engineering to secure LNGC construction contracts from Evergas. China will require at least 60-65 LNGCs by 2020, mostly for coastal or river transport, according to
Although Bestway has completed the basic design of a 10,000m3 LNG ship under the contract with CNOOC, construction is on hold. CNOOC’s cost cutting means that the future of coastal LNG shipping in China remains hazy. However, Mr Ren predicts positive demand for midsize LNGCs, not least because of a lack of newbuilding investment in this asset category. “If you look at the category of 60,000-99,000m3 LNGCs, the implied capacity growth over the next three years is even negative,” he says. A JP Morgan industry research report from March shows just nine LNGCs in this size range under construction. That compares with two dozen LNGCs smaller than 39,000m3 and more than 350 carriers that are 100,000m3 plus. LNG
LNG world shipping | May/June 2015
13
area
report
Scandinavia
Nordic star shines on LNG supply chain Stavanger-based Skangass is developing new LNG supply chains. Karen Thomas reports
S
candinavia is one of the fastest-growing
a leadership position in the Nordic LNG market.”
LNG markets in Europe, taking the lead in
Gasum plans to strengthen Skangass’ buying power to
promoting gas as marine fuel and an industrial
make LNG a more competitive source of fuel across
and domestic energy source.
the Nordic region. Skangass will develop new terminals
Regulatory pressures have accelerated the process.
and charter LNG bunker-supply ships, expanding the
Much of Norway – along with Sweden, Denmark and
gas infrastructure in this part of the world to make the
Nordic neighbour Finland – falls inside the Baltic and
supply chain more reliable.
North Sea sulphur emission-control area, which took effect from January.
“Large, combined import quantities will result in more cost-efficient LNG sourcing and thus enhance
The new emission regulations and growing awareness
the opening of new LNG terminals,” Gasum said, in
of the health risks from particulates are driving interest in LNG. Northern Europe’s shipping companies are under growing pressure to clean up their act. Although the industry has been slow to adopt gas as marine fuel, there are signs that demand is growing. Norway-based Skangass is extending its reach across Scandinavia’s LNG supply chain – a process now set to accelerate following a development last year concerning the company’s ownership. In 2014 Lyse Corp sold a 51 per cent stake in Skangass’ distribution operations to Finnish utility Gasum, itself owned 75 per cent by the Finnish state and 25 per cent by Gazprom. Gasum fused the Skangass business with its own LNG business unit, which includes a production plant at Porvoo, Finland, to create Skangass A/S. Together, the two firms have 20 LNG tank trucks. Lyse Corp retains the Skangass production plant at Risavika, but has agreed a long-term delivery contract. Stavanger-based Skangass started LNG operations in 2011 and has built up LNG distribution markets at home and in Sweden. Now, it aims to expand its Nordic LNG supply and distribution chains. “The takeover has made us focus on new markets in Finland and in eastern Sweden, which are both very relevant for synergies,” says Skangass chief executive
Skangass is developing a network of LNG terminals
officer Tor-Morten Osmundsen. “Our wish is to gain
across the Nordic region
LNG world shipping | May/June 2015
15
area
report
Scandinavia
announcing the takeover deal. “The acquisition will
Skangass sees the Baltic in general and Finland
join the Finnish, Norwegian and Swedish markets
in particular as a major area of opportunity for gas as
geographically, making the delivery of a competitive
marine fuel. Last year, Finland-based Containerships
product possible in the entire area.”
announced that it would become the first European shortsea operator in its segment to run a fleet using
Terminals
LNG, booking four dual-fuel boxships.
Skangass opened its first LNG production plant and
Finnish yard Meyer Turku is also building a 49,000gt
terminal at Risavika and claims that this handles the
largescale ferry for Estonia’s Tallink Group, to be
highest volumes of LNG bunkering in Europe, at about
deployed on the Helsinki-Tallinn route from 2017.
40,000 tonnes per annum.
Both ports will need regular supplies of LNG, whether
Now, it is developing a network of LNG terminals
delivered by truck or sea.
to supply gas to land-based and marine industries across
Skangass is also one of four partners involved in
the Nordic region. So far, it has terminals at Risavika,
the Manga LNG import terminal, being built at the
Fredrikstad and Øra in Norway and one in Lysekil near
Finnish port of Röyttä near Tornio in Lapland, due to
Gothenburg in Sweden, which opened last year.
open in 2018. Gasum and Manga LNG will deliver LNG
The NKr700 million (US$87 million) Lysekil terminal is a joint project with Skangass customer
procurement and logistics. The
Tornio
terminal
expands
gas-delivery
and local refinery operator Preem. Replacing naphtha
infrastructure in northeastern Sweden and northern
and butane with LNG will cut Preem’s carbon dioxide
Finland and the project includes reception, unloading
emissions by an estimated 130,000 tonnes a year.
and filling stations for LNG ships and storage for up
Lysekil will also deliver LNG to third-party
to 50,000m3.
customers, offering bunkering services in the port and
Skangass also aims to reach an investment decision
truck deliveries inland. “This is also a hub for bunkering
this summer on an LNG terminal at Gävle in eastern
and reloading,” Mr Osmundsen says.
Sweden. Last summer, it secured permission from the
In December, Skangass recently reached an
that country’s government to build and operate the
investment decision and chose the main contractor
venture, storing 30,000m3 of LNG and handling up to
and supplier for a terminal at Pori in Finland, to be
500,000 tonnes a year.
completed in 2016 with capacity for 30,000m3 of
“This is ideally located for Sweden’s steel-belt area,”
LNG. The terminal, in which the Finnish government
Mr Osmundsen says. “And because we will secure
has agreed to invest NKr185 million (US$23 million),
distribution through Pori and through Tornio, the
creates a new, efficient LNG logistics chain serving Pori
logistics becomes more viable, connecting the dots to
and western Finland.
that existing supply chain. “However, we currently have a very competitive situation with alternative fuels, so the question is whether the market is ready for it. That’s really what we have to find out. “The decision to invest in Tornio was taken just before Christmas, when the oil price was already down. Potential customers are taking long-term decisions, because they want to move away from using oil for industrial processes. The question is what to do then. And gas seems to be the next step.” Although it is very interested in the Baltic region, Skangass plans no additional terminals for now. “We need to optimise our new and existing infrastructure to secure a competitive and reliable supply long term,” Mr Osmundsen says. “The pattern we are trying to establish is that we
Skangass and Gasum have 20 LNG tank trucks
16
build terminals where we see a potential market – where
LNG world shipping | May/June 2015
area
report
Scandinavia
we see very real interest – and we build the infrastructure
ship bunker vessel off Lysekil, Risavika, Pori or from other
for reloading and a hub for bunkering, whether for ships
terminals, but Skangass has yet to decide exactly where
or for other customers. We believe we can use the same
and how to deploy it. It plans to supply fuel in whichever
infrastructure for industry and for transport.”
way its customers find most convenient, and will study conventional bunkering operations to plan the operation.
Time charters
Skangass will need a third vessel to serve Finland and
Skangass is also carving out a niche in the small-scale
eastern Sweden. Mr Osmundsen expects to make that
LNG shipping segment. It recently time chartered the
decision this summer, subject to a feasibility study, and
ice-class 1A Anthony Veder-owned LNG carrier Coral
to commission a newbuilding by year-end.
Energy to support a supply agreement with energy
Supplying gas as marine fuel is an established part of
company Eni that covers the Swedish market, delivering
Skangass’ business mix. In 2013, it landed a deal to supply
LNG to the new terminal at Lysekil.
gas to Ryfylke and Hardanger, Norled’s two Norway-based,
In January, the 15,600m3 vessel loaded at Zeebrugge’s Fluxys terminal for delivery to Sweden. The agreement with Eni is a two-year deal to supply small-scale LNG to produce 4.6 terawatt hours of electricity. Since last year, Skangass has also chartered the 5,600m3 Coral Anthelia to carry LNG from Risavika to Fredrikstad.
gas-powered ferries, which require about 65 tonnes of LNG a week, sourced from the Risavika plant. The two 124m vessels carry up to 165 cars, 12 trailers and 550 passengers between Tau in western Norway and Stavanger and are among the first in the world powered only by LNG and compressed natural gas. “The request to use gas as marine fuel is coming
“Coral Energy is a long-term lease,” Mr Osmundsen says.
from the customers, who want to use greener energy for
“However, Coral Anthelia is only a short-term lease, as we
transport,” Mr Osmundsen concludes. “It’s part of the
are bringing our new vessel, Coralius, into service in 2017.”
process of renewing the fleet – of thinking about new
An 800m3 LNG bunker-supply vessel, Coralius will
ways to innovate and to be more energy-efficient.
serve a long-term agreement to deliver gas as marine
“Concerns about the environment will give LNG a
fuel to Finland from 2017, under Skangass’ ship-to-ship
strong position in the Nordic market. Experience with
bunker contract with North European Oil Trade (Neot).
newbuildings is showing the industry that LNG offers
Coralius will operate feeder services and act as a ship-to-
very good energy efficiency.” LNG
Skangass at a glance
18
Skangass is positioning itself as a major supplier of LNG
fleet of 20 bunker-supply trucks.
as marine and transport fuel, and as an energy source
Challenges: Eco-conscious Scandinavia sees LNG
to meet the needs of industries across the Nordic region.
as a cleaner-burning fuel for transport and industry
The 2014 takeover by Gasum positions the company
but not as a carbon-neutral alternative. Skangass
to expand its regional distribution infrastructure and to
must convince national and regional governments to
consolidate its grip on the LNG supply chain.
support and finance the infrastructure and promote
Location: Based in Stavanger, Skangass has terminals
the availability of LNG to the private sector. The oil-
at home in Risavika, Fredrikstad and Øra and last year
price crash has also eroded LNG’s price advantage
opened its first Swedish terminal at Lysekil. It opens
compared with conventional marine fuels, a factor
its first Finnish import terminal at Pori next year and is
making decisionmakers a lot less decisive.
working with partners on the Manga joint venture to
Opportunities: Customers are pressing for greener
build a terminal near Tornio in Finnish Lapland, opening
transport. Skangass aims to expand its LNG footprint
in 2018. Now, it is studying a second Swedish import
to eastern Sweden and northern Finland. It is open to
terminal in the east of the country at Gävle.
strategic partnerships, working with Sirius and Anthony
Workforce: 50
Veder to charter bunker-supply vessels and with other
Operations: Skangass is likely to add a third bunker-
partners to develop and manage LNG-import terminals.
supply vessel to supply gas as marine fuel and the
Its ambition is to supply LNG to deepsea carriers that
Gasum takeover gives the combined companies a
call in northwest Europe.
LNG world shipping | May/June 2015
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