Statoil’s tender for long-term charters on up to two very large gas carriers (VLGCs) is attracting strong interest among owners.

The deadline for submitting bids to the Norwegian oil company expired this week.

But as Statoil wants options for different solutions, including LPG fuelling, it is expected that it will take a couple of months for it to decide.

The deal will include one or two new, 79,300-cbm ships to be contracted for delivery in 2019 that can pass through the old Panama Canal.