BP Shipping is on the brink of inking an order for up to nine gas-fuelled LNG carriers worth close to $1.8bn with South Korean shipbuilder DSME.

One source says the shipping arm of energy major BP will sign up to six firm vessels of around 174,000 cbm, with options for three more very shortly.

But as talk circulated of the imminent order confirmation, fresh rumours emerged that the company may kick off with just four vessels, plus a string of options, and would then call on existing LNG shipowners to sign up to the optional ships as required.

The