Small-scale specialist Avenir LNG is moving into China with the sale of one of its fleet of six small-scale vessels to a Chinese joint venture — as Shanghai makes its move to become the country's first LNG bunkering hub.

Avenir said on Monday that it had sold its 20,000-cbm newbuilding Avenir Allegiance to Shanghai SIPG Energy Service Co (SSES), a joint venture between Shanghai International Port Group (SIPG) and Shenergy Group.