Edison has signed a long-term charter agreement with shipowner Knutsen OAS Shipping for a new 174,000-cubic-meter liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier.
According to a statement from the electricity and gas producer, which is owned by EDF, the newly built vessel will be constructed by Hanwha Ocean at the Geoje (Okpo) shipyard in South Korea. Under the terms of the contract, the ship will support Edison's shipping operations starting in 2028.
The new vessel will join Edison's existing fleet dedicated to managing and supplying LNG cargoes from long-term contracts. After establishing a stable supply channel from the United States through a 2017 agreement, the group this year announced the signing of a second contract to purchase around 1 billion cubic meters per year, starting in 2028 and for up to 15 years, from Shell International Trading Middle East Limited.
"The expansion of our fleet, thanks to our valuable partnership with Knutsen OAS Shipping, will enable us to manage the increasing LNG volumes that will enter our portfolio in the coming years. This will enhance our ability to promptly adapt supply to meet international market and customer demand," commented Fabio Dubini, Executive Vice President Gas&Power Portfolio Management&Optimisation at Edison.
(Giancarlo Navach, editing by Stefano Bernabei)
