Shell charters AET Tankers’ LNG-fueled Aframax duo

Singapore-based shipper, AET, has struck a long-term charter deal for its two LNG-fueled Aframax tankers with Shell. 

AET’s two 113,000 dwt vessels are currently being built by Samsung Heavy Industries in South Korea and are due for delivery from the third quarter of 2018.

The arrangements will see Shell take both vessels on a long-term charter commencing in the fourth quarter of this year.

Both Malaysian flagged vessels will be fitted with twin LNG tanks, allowing them to trade worldwide on LNG and with LNG more readily available now, making them suited to operate in the 0.1 percent sulphur SECA regions of North America, Northwest Europe and Asia, and ensures full compliance with the incoming 2020 sulphur cap.

In addition to the vessels chartered to Shell, in June 2017, AET, a MISC Group company, was awarded a contract to build and operate two LNG dual-fuelled DP2 Offshore Loading Shuttle Tankers for service in oilfields on the Norwegian Continental Shelf of the North Sea, Norwegian Sea and the southern Barents Sea as well as on the UK Continental Shelf.

When operational, these ships are expected to be amongst the world’s first LNG fuelled DP shuttle tankers and the most energy efficient.

The new vessels, currently known as HN2197 and HN2198 carry the Green Passport, ENVIRO and GFS notations and are both being built under the supervision of the American Bureau of Shipping and will be classed by that society.