Shipowners have invested close to $6bn in LNG carrier newbuildings this year at a time of double digit trade growth in the sector, according to Clarksons Research.

The cash has gone on a total of 35 new vessels in the year to date, managing director Steve Gordon wrote in the brokerage’s latest LNG shipping markets review.

While the individual owners contracting LNG tonnage were not named, established forces in the market like Peter Livanos, John Angelicoussis, George Economou, Andreas Sohmen-Pao and...