A dearth of open tonnage has bumped up LNG carrier charter rates and expectations at the start of the new year.
Brokers position lists on prompt available ships are reading zero across all three major trading basins as charterers hunt for tonnage to lift cargoes in January and February.
They said that there are just a handful of ships open in the next two weeks with only a few more vessels expected to be added to the mix in the period into the middle of next month.
