LNG ships should survive the normal effects of flooding following the expected hull damage from incidents 🚨 such as grounding, collision and stranding.

The LNG ships have a double hulls throughout their cargo length and the tanks are protected from flooding by positioning them 🎯 at a specific minimum distances inboard from the ship's side.

The maximum assumed extent of damages that can happen and the vessel stays afloat are as follow :

🎯 Longitudinal damage 👉 14.5 m

🎯 Transversal damage 👉 11.5 m

🎯 Vertical damage 👉 Upwards without limit

Australian energy player Santos has achieved the first liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargo 🥇 from its gas project off the coast of Australia’s Northern Territory, which is now en route to Japan.

The cargo was loaded onto the Kool Blizzard and departed Darwin LNG on January 25, 2026. This LNG cargo will be delivered to the Sakai terminal in Japan 🏭 on a delivered ex-ship basis.

(C) Copyright Offshore Energy 2026

VTTI and Höegh Evi have opened the market process for the Zeeland Energy Terminal 🏭, launching an open season for a new floating LNG import hub in the port of Vlissingen-Oost,

The developers have cleared the first stage of permitting, secured the site 🎯 and are now sounding out customers for long-term capacity ahead of a targeted final investment decision in the third quarter of 2027.  

The project centres on a Floating Storage and Regasification Unit with around 7.5 bcm a year 💭 of send-out capacity and at least 180,000 cubic metres of LNG storage 💧.

(C) Copyright Port News 2026

Egypt has exported a new shipment of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) from the Idku liquefaction plant to Türkiye 💧, marking the second consecutive cargo dispatched this year as the country ramps up its regional energy hub activities.

The shipment, consisting of 150,000 cubic meters (m³), was transported aboard the Methane Becki Anne carrier 🚢 on behalf of Shell.

This follows a similar shipment of 150,000 m³ 💧 sent earlier this month to Canada via French TotalEnergies’ LNG Endeavour vessel.

(C) Copyright Egypt Oil and Gas2026

Türkiye is set to double the liquefied natural gas (LNG) regasification capacity 📈 at its southern Dortyol Terminal by deploying a second Floating Storage Regasification Unit (FSRU)

The current FSRU stationed at the terminal, the Ertugrul Gazi vessel, converts up to 28 million cubic meters of LNG per day into gas phase 💭 for injection into the national grid.

The planned addition will match this output, effectively raising the facility’s total capacity to 56 million cubic meters daily 🚀.

(C) Copyright Turkey Now 2026

Russia’s first LNG carrier built domestically has arrived at Novatek’s Arctic LNG 2 plant 🏭 after a voyage through the Northern Sea Route.

The Sovcomflot-owned, 172,600-cbm Alexey Kosygin (built 2025) arrived over the weekend in ballast, following an ice breaker-assisted westbound passage through the NSR 🌏 from the Zvezda Shipbuilding Complex, where it was constructed.

(C) Copyright Tradewinds 2026

LNG Japonica Shipping Corporation has struck a long-term charter deal for Gail Bhuwan LNGC with Gail 🤝

LNG Japonica Shipping Corporation is a joint venture between Japan’s shipping giant Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) (74%) and India’s state-owned energy firm Gail (26%)

(C) Copyright Offshore Energy 2026

Oman’s Asyad Shipping has invested over 60% of its 💰3bn fund earmarked for fleet growth and renewal, but is open to opportunistic expansion 📈.

The company’s five-year plan to add approximately 30 vessels 🚢 to its fleet by 2030 still stands.

(C) Copyright Tradewinds 2026

LNG importer Gail (India) has agreed to take an ownership stake in an LNG carrier newbuilding owned by 🤝 K Line

The 174,000-cbm vessel is due from South Korea’s Samsung Heavy Industries in 2027 🎊.

(C) Copyright Tradewinds 2026

Excelerate Energy Hull 3407 has returned from sea trials after successfully completing major performance and safety tests 📊.

Built at the HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) shipyard in South Korea, the vessel is planned for deployment to Excelerate’s integrated LNG import terminal in Iraq 📍.

(C) Copyright Excelerate Energy 2026

The investment interests of JP Morgan are being named as the party behind two 2️⃣ vessels ordered from Samsung Heavy Industries this week.

Samsung Heavy Industries had won an order for two LNG carriers priced at $504m, indicating a 💰252m price per ship.

(C) Copyright Tradewinds 2026

China Merchants Energy Shipping celebrated the naming ceremony of the 175,000 m³ SEA NAVIGATOR 🎊, the second LNG carrier in a series of eight built at Dalian Shipbuilding Heavy Industry and chartered for Sinochem International Corporation 🤝.

SEA NAVIGATOR features GTT - Technology for a Sustainable World Mark III Flex membrane technology 🏢 and is equipped with WinGD Ltd. X-DF 2.0 propulsion 🏭.

She also integrates Silverstream Technologies air lubrication technology, Ascenz Marorka Digital solutions, as well as an Air Liquide subcooler 💻.

(C) Copyright Adnan Ezzarhouni 2026

COSCO SHIPPING LNG celebrated the naming ceremony of the 174,000 m³ Tianshan 🎊, built at Hudong Zhonghua Shipbuilding and chartered for PetroChina International 🤝.

The vessel features the GTT - Technology for a Sustainable World NO96 L03+ containment system 🏢 and latest-generation dual-fuel propulsion.

(C) Copyright Adnan Ezzarhouni 2026

Energy major TotalEnergies is due to relaunch its stalled 💰20bn Mozambique LNG project, which looks set to see progress resume on 1️⃣7️⃣ LNG carrier newbuildings that were lined up for the development over five years ago.

Vessels for stalled east African project will have been almost 10 years in the making 📅 when they finally deliver

Shipbuilding for Mozambique LNG projects is primarily handled by South Korean yards, specifically Samsung Heavy Industries and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries 🏗, which are holding 17 berths for carrier vessels, with deliveries delayed to 2028-2029 due to project suspension 🎊

(C) Copyright Tradewinds 2026

MISC Signs Contract for Up to 10 LNG Carriers with Hudong-Zhonghua 🎊

Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding, in collaboration with China Shipbuilding Trading (CSTC), successfully signed a contract with 🤝 Malaysian International Shipping Corporation Berhad (MISC) for the construction of 6️⃣ (3+3) 174,000 m³ large liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers.

Upon delivery, the new vessels will be chartered to 🤝 Petronas, , the Malaysian national oil company.

This order is expected to reach 10 vessels 📈

(C) Copyright IMarine News 2026

Wison and Jereh have signed a strategic cooperation letter of intent (LOI) to embark on a mutually beneficial cooperation 🤝, covering offshore projects including floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG).

This partnership comes months after Wison pooled resources with Siemens Energy for sustainable offshore energy development, primarily within FLNG and FPSO projects 🚢.

(C) Copyright Offshore Energy 2026

ONGC signed a master regasification agreement (MRA) with 🤝 Petronet LNG to enable spot LNG cargo unloading and regasification at the Dahej terminal.

The MRA will remain valid for a period of five years, with a provision for further extension 📅. The agreement is expected to facilitate efficient regasification services, improve supply reliability, and contribute to the development of a resilient and future-ready gas value chain 🔥.

(C) Copyright Offshore Energy 2026

Stolt-Nielsen is weighing a partial sell-down of its small-scale LNG business Avenir LNG 💵 , just months after taking full control of the company.

Stolt-Nielsen Gas is in discussions with a strategic buyer over the potential sale of up to 50% of its interest 🤝 in the London-based LNG bunkering player.

Avenir LNG operates five small-scale LNG bunker vessels currently in service 🚢, with two more under construction.

(C) Copyright Splash247 2026

Galveston LNG Bunker Port (GLBP) has struck a strategic partnership with 🤝 TOTE Services to develop and operate a fleet of dedicated Jones Act LNG bunker vessels for the US Gulf Coast.

GLBP and TOTE Services will work together on the design, construction and long-term operation of LNG bunker vessels or barges 🚢 to serve GLBP’s planned small-scale LNG bunkering facility

(C) Copyright Splash247 2026

Swiss energy producer and trader Axpo has started a new chapter in LNG bunkering with the delivery 🎊 of the first of two LNG bunker vessel newbuildings the 7,500-cbm LNGBV Green Pearl.

The new LNGBV is designed to conduct both ship‑to‑ship and ship‑to‑truck operations and will transport both LNG and bio-LNG 💧.

(C) Copyright Tradewinds 2026

Osaka Gas has initiated a shore-to-ship LNG bunkering service 💧, marking the first instance of a Japanese gas utility providing liquefied natural gas (LNG) to vessels from its terminal 🥇.

The service began at the Senboku LNG Terminal in Takaishi City, Osaka Prefecture 🏭, with the first delivery to the VERDE HERALDO, an LNG-fueled vessel operated by Mitsui O.S.K. Lines

(C) Copyright Port News 2026

In this second part, I go deeper into how a converted LNG carrier actually operates as an FSRU.

👉 If you missed it, check out the previous edition for Part 1.