Hoegh Esperanza Arrives at Tianjin
Oslo-listed shipowner Hoegh LNG announced November 6 that its ship Hoegh Esperanza has arrived at the Cnooc Gas and Power’s Tianjin LNG terminal in China and started commissioning for floating storage and regas unit (FSRU) operations.
Hoegh Esperanza is currently serving a three-plus-one year FSRU/LNG carrier time charter with Cnooc Gas and Power Trading and Marketing. Under the contract announced this June, Hoegh Esperanza will be used in FSRU mode for a minimum period each year, with the balance of the year in LNG carrier mode and/or FSRU mode. (The ship is shown in the banner photo above, courtesy of Hoegh LNG)
The FSRU was delivered from Hyundai Heavy Industries in April 2018 and started the contract with Cnooc in June 2018. Its import capacity is around 6 million metric tons/year of LNG and it can store 170,000 m3. It is equipped with a GTT Mark III membrane containment system and dual-fuel diesel-electric propulsion, providing it with full LNG carrier trading capabilities.
“Following an aggressive coal-to-gas switch, China’s LNG imports look to increase by almost 50% in 2018, and the potential for further increases in LNG imports remains significant. Combined with the sale-and-leaseback financing for FSRU #10 secured earlier this year, this FSRU/LNGC contract for Hoegh Esperanza with Cnooc reflects Hoegh LNG’s commitment to the Chinese market, and our ambition to remain the preferred partner for future LNG import expansions,” said Hoegh LNG CEO Sveinung Stohle.