West African LNG exporter Nigeria LNG (NLNG) is moving ahead with a fresh round of fleet renewal, with its shipping arm Bonny Gas Transport (BGT) selecting China’s Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding for a new tranche of LNG carrier tonnage.
Newbuilding sources said BGT has agreed to contract three 174,000 cu m LNG carriers at the Shanghai yard, with deliveries from China’s leading LNG carrier builder set for 2029. The deal includes options for a further three vessels, giving Hudong-Zhonghua a potential six-ship programme if all units are firmed.
The order marks another step in NLNG’s long-term fleet modernisation drive. BGT already operates 13 LNG carriers, including six DFDE vessels built under the BGT Plus initiative.
NLNG, which produces about 22 m tonnes per annum of LNG from its Bonny Island complex, moves cargoes worldwide via an extensive chartered fleet. Its broader shipping network includes 23 LNG carriers on long-term charters, as well as one LPG vessel serving the domestic market. The company in which the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) holds a 49% stake has long-term gas supply agreements with joint venture partners Shell, TotalEnergies, and Eni.
