US LNG tanker arrives in China, first to land in key NE Asian market

Chemical News: US LNG tanker arrives in China, first to land in key NE Asian market

https://www.chemnet.com Aug 23,2016 Platts
The first cargo of US LNG to target the world's biggest LNG demand center in northeast Asia arrived Monday at the Chinese port of Yantian, according to cFlow, Platts trade flow software.

The Maran Gas Apollonia was the 19th cargo of LNG to load from the Sabine Pass export facility in the US Gulf of Mexico, but the first to reach northeast Asia since the first loading in February this year.

The Shell-controlled vessel was previously expected to deliver into Latin America, but changed course headed for Asia in late July.

Exports to the key markets of China, Japan and South Korea were made considerably more economical with the opening of the expanded Panama Canal last month.

The Maran Gas Apollonia was the first LNG tanker to transit the newly expanded canal.

Previous cargoes from Sabine Pass have been delivered to South America, the Middle East and South Asia, with the majority of cargoes going to South America.

Just two US LNG cargoes have so far made it to Europe -- one to Portugal and one to Spain.

But with the start-up of the second train of Sabine Pass at the end of July, it is expected that more US LNG will make its way to Europe.

Spain's Gas Natural has a 20-year offtake agreement for LNG from Train 2 of Sabine Pass.

Shell has annual offtake of 3.5 million mt from Sabine Pass Train 1.
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