Evangelos Marinakis-backed, US-listed LNG carrier owner CCEC announced in a statement on Friday the formation of a 50\/50 joint venture with shipping giant CMA CGM.<\/p>\n
The JV has been established for the purpose of constructing, chartering, and operating one 20,000 cbm dual-fuel LNG bunkering vessel.<\/p>\n
In connection with this transaction, the JV has entered into a shipbuilding contract with Nantong CIMC Sinopacific Offshore & Engineering (CIMC SOE) for the construction of the vessel at a contract price of $82.8 million, with delivery expected in the third quarter of 2028, CCEC said.<\/p>\n
In addition, the JV is expected to enter into a 12-year time charter with a joint venture company formed between CMA CGM and French energy giant TotalEnergies, commencing upon delivery of the vessel from the shipyard, CCEC added.<\/p>\n
The JV marks CCEC\u2019s entry into the LNG bunkering segment, the company\u2019s first vessel dedicated to marine fuel supply.<\/p>\n
LNG Prime was the first to report this move<\/a>, citing shipbuilding sources, in March this year.<\/p>\n Sources told LNG Prime at the time that the JV of Capital and CMA CGM signed a letter of intent with CIMC SOE for up to two LNG bunkering vessels.<\/p>\n CMA CGM and TotalEnergies<\/p>\n This will also be the first LNG bunkering vessel owned by CMA CGM.<\/p>\n Last year, TotalEnergies and CMA CGM\u00a0signed a deal<\/a>\u00a0to develop a 50\/50 logistics joint venture dedicated to implementing and operating an LNG bunkering supply solution at the Dutch port of Rotterdam.<\/p>\n The joint venture will capitalize on TotalEnergies\u2019 established logistics infrastructure in the ARA region, where the 18,600-cbm LNG bunkering vessel Gas Agility has been in operation since 2020.<\/p>\n As part of this new logistics joint venture, a new LNG bunkering vessel will be positioned in Rotterdam by the end of 2028 and jointly operated.<\/p>\n In August, China\u2019s Hudong-Zhonghua\u00a0said<\/a>\u00a0it had secured another order to build one 18,600-cbm LNG bunkering vessel for TotalEnergies and Spain\u2019s shipping firm Ibaizabal.<\/p>\n