The commodity trader announced in a Wednesday release that Vitol had secured three LNG bunkering ships through its shipping company.

The vessels were obtained through a time charter agreement of seven to ten years with Avenir LNG Limited, and a two-vessel order at the CIMC Sinopacific Offshore & Engineering Co. Ltd. shipyard in Nantong (China), the company said. Global commodities trader stated that the newbuild LNG Bunkering Vessel under the time-charter agreement with Avenir is capable of carrying 20,000 cubic meters.

The time charter begins upon delivery of the shipyard from China in Q4 of 2026. It will last for seven years with an option to extend it up to a maximum of ten.

Vitol has ordered two LNGBVs, one of 12,500 cubic meters, and the other of 20,000 cubic metres, at the CIMC SOE Shipyard in China. These vessels will be delivered to Vitol in Q4 and Q3 respectively in 2026 and 2027.

"Shipowners around the world are trying to reduce their emission. "We are pleased to increase their options by investing in bioLNG/LNG bunkering," Pablo Galante Escobar said, Vitol's head of LNG for EMEA, gas and power. Ashitha Shivaprasad in Bengaluru and Sherin Lizzie in London, edited by Louise Heavens