One of the latest buyers is Sillo Maritime Perdana, which, through its subsidiary Golden Prima Maritime, acquired the 17-year-old Seri Balqis LNG carrier with a capacity of 158,000 cubic meters from MISC. Following the acquisition, the vessel was renamed Golden Queena, becoming the company’s first large LNG carrier powered by a diesel propulsion system. According to VesselsValue, the vessel is worth approximately $65 million.
The sister ship Seri Balhaf was acquired by Indonesian shipping company Soechi Lines and renamed SC Prestige. The purchase increased the company’s fleet of large LNG carriers to four vessels. Prior to the sale, both ships had been laid up for an extended period.
Since the beginning of 2026, Indonesian shipowners have acquired six large LNG carriers, with more than half of them having been laid up before changing ownership. In March, Buana Lautan Line also purchased the 138,000-cubic-meter steam turbine LNG carrier Seapeak Jupiter, built in 2002, for $14.9 million. The vessel was subsequently renamed Gas Polaris.
The increased buying activity coincides with a prolonged decline in LNG carrier prices, which has continued for more than four consecutive years. At the same time, some owners are choosing to retire aging vessels instead of returning them to service. Oman’s Asyad Shipping, for example, has decided to scrap an LNG carrier built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in 2001. According to MarineTraffic, the vessel is currently located off the coast of Alang, India.
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