Italian oil firm Eni has signed a long-term charter agreement with tanker operator Knutsen NYK Offshore Tankers (KNOT) for two new shuttle tankers.
Planned to be built by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering shipyard in Korea, the two new LNG-fuelled shuttle tankers are planned to be delivered by mid-2022.
Eni plans to use the two 124,000 DWT vessels for operations in the North Sea for a maximum of 10 years.
The two new-built shuttle tankers for Eni will feature LNG propulsion system
The vessels use of LNG as primary fuel allowing it to reduce CO2 emissions equivalents significantly compared to conventional oil-fuelled shuttle tankers.
Additionally, the tankers feature a battery package to save energy during DP operation.
KNOT president and CEO Trygve Seglem said: “We are pleased to announce that KNOT and ENI extend their partnership in the North Sea with two new LNG shuttle tankers. ENI, through their ownership in Vår Energi has many interests in North Sea gas and oil fields and is thus one of the major players in the area.
“This contract is the third and fourth long-term time-charter shuttle-tanker contracts between ENI and KNOT Group.
“We are pleased that ENI has recognized KNOT capabilities and expertise in the shuttle tanker operation with the awarding of this new contracts.”
KNOT, which is a joint venture of TS Shipping Invest and NYK Group, operates and acquires shuttle tankers under long-term charters in the offshore oil production regions of the North Sea and Brazil.
In 2018, Norwegian oil and gas firm Equinor awarded long-term charter contracts to KNOT, for two newbuilt shuttle tankers to lift and transport crude oil produced from the Roncador oil field in Brazil.
The new two 153,000 DWT DP2 shuttle tankers, which were planned for deployment at the Brazilian oil field, are scheduled for delivery to KNOT in 2020.
