Tor Olav Troim-controlled Golar LNG’s long-term view on its shipping business prospects has been buoyed by an unseasonal uptick in rates, forward energy pricing and the potential impact of Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI) regulations.

In a first-quarter results statement, it said the market outlook for shipping is improving on firming LNG demand and higher prices, referencing its fixture of a one-year time charter at what the company said is “a level of return not seen" in the LNG market since 2011.