The Venezuelan company is understood to be paying $980,000 per month.

Newly released results for the first six months of 2013 show nine of Navigator’s 15 semi-refrigerated ships were on time charters earning on average $885,000 per month. Ships operating spot were earning more — on average $979,000 per month during the first half of 2013.

In November last year, Navigator paid $470m to buy AP Moller-Maersk’s 11 semi-refrigerated and fully refrigerated LPG carriers.

Eight