Charter rates for LNG carriers have slipped to fresh lows as vessel availability mounts and shipowners cave in to pressure from charterers in slack market conditions.
Brokers peg spot rates for modern diesel-electric LNG tonnage in the high $40,000-per-day range, compared with figures quoted at $65,000 per day or more in late February.
But they say steam turbine-driven LNG ships are likely to secure daily rates only in the high $20,000-per-day range, about $10,000 to $15,000 per day less than a month earlier.
