NYK Line has agreed to acquire a 50% stake in Avenir LNG from Stolt-Nielsen Gas, creating a joint venture focused on small-scale LNG supply and LNG bunkering.
The companies said the deal will support future opportunities in small-scale LNG and LNG bunkering, with a focus on LNG and bio-LNG for marine fuel and other industrial applications. Avenir LNG, founded in 2017, owns and operates small-scale LNG carriers and LNG bunker vessels.
Stolt-Nielsen CEO Udo Lange said the transaction develops the group’s long-standing partnership with NYK Line and supports Avenir LNG’s position in small-scale LNG supply and bunkering. He added that NYK Line’s shipping and logistics experience is expected to add value to Avenir LNG, its customers and shareholders.
NYK Line said the new deal builds on its relationship with Stolt-Nielsen in the chemical tanker business. Hironobu Watanabe, Chief Executive of Energy Division at NYK Line, said LNG and bio-LNG have taken on a more essential and practical role as the maritime industry steps up decarbonisation efforts. He said the partnership is expected to help Avenir LNG meet rising market demand and support the supply chain.
Jonathan Quinn, Managing Director of Avenir LNG, said the transaction brings together two shipping and logistics groups with complementary strengths and a shared long-term view of LNG as a marine fuel. He added that NYK Line’s global reach and operational expertise would support business development, LNG bunkering solutions and customer decarbonisation strategies.
Completion is expected in the middle of 2026, subject to customary approvals, including regulatory clearances.
