Company: DLNG
Filing Date: 2025-04-10
Form Type: 20-F
Source: 0001104659-25-033744
Chunk: 107

Company: Dynagas LNG Partners LP
Filing Date: 2025-04-10
Form: 20-F
Item: Item 3
Chunk 107
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 of one or more cargoes, sometimes within a specified time period between one and six months, with a set-up time of possibly several months. With changing global LNG market, the vessel owners are gradually increasing their exposure to spot trade. Earlier shipowners used to employ more than 85% of their fleet on long-term charters and 10 to 15% of the fleet used to operate in spot trade. However, short term LNG trade data for last ten years indicates that with increasing imports of China from the spot market and taking advantage of the rate spike in winters and other market imbalances, shipowners have increased the spot market exposure in the range of 27 to 40%.

Table of Contents

Short-term LNG trade 2011-2024

Source: Drewry

Spot earnings for LNG ships

Spot rates for LNG vessels were at its peak in 2012 following the Fukushima nuclear disaster of March 2011 in Japan. The disaster compelled Japan to adopt LNG more actively in lieu of nuclear power. The spot rates reached their lowest in 2016 as the demand slowed down. In 2018, the spot rates increased steadily despite strong newbuild deliveries. The strengthening in spot earnings of LNG ships was facilitated by a demand driven market in which demand for LNG vessels has outpaced the supply growth in world LNG fleet. Spot rates softened in 2019 on account of lower LNG imports in China, higher LNG inventory levels in Europe and Asia, and mild winter.

Spot LNG shipping rates plummeted in the first quarter of 2020 as the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak had an adverse impact on LNG trade and LNG spot prices. The outbreak forced several countries to go into lockdown, leading to decline in the world GDP and consequently weak LNG demand. Many LNG cargos were cancelled due to weak Asian LNG demand and high European gas inventories. However, LNG demand recovered in the latter half of 2020 as countries started easing the lockdown. LNG spot shipping freight rates started increasing from November 2020 on account of the cold snap in Asia, congestion in the Panama Canal, and availability of fewer LNG ships in the spot market. Higher Asian LNG demand supported spot LNG shipping rates in 2021. LNG shipping spot rates surged in 2022 mainly driven by European LNG imports as Europe switched towards LNG to end its reliance on Russian gas. LNG shipping rates have normalized in the last two years after peaking in 2022. LNG shipping spot rates softened in 2023 due to high inventory levels both in Europe and Asia