NYK Line is being touted as the winner of a tender by German utility EnBW to secure four LNG carrier newbuildings worth more than $1bn.

Several brokers referenced the conclusion of a tender for vessels for a European utility with a lone shipowner in their reports amid a mass of talk in the market.

Some indicated that this referred to EnBW selecting NYK for the four berths reserved for this business at Hyundai Heavy Industries in South Korea.