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Container LNG cargoes expand China’s import options

The lowest spot LNG prices in years have made containerised LNG a workable option for China's budding small-scale importers The lowest spot LNG prices in years have made containerised LNG a workable option for China's budding small-scale importers.

By Tang Tian 26 June 2017 Asia Pacific / LNG 0 26515

A truck carrying an ISO-size LNG tank. (Chart)

Chinese LNG importers have started to ship volumes in cryogenic ISO containers rather than solely via tankers, complementing the rise of direct supply in the Chinese gas market.

The cryogenic containers are the same size as conventional shipping containers and allow LNG to be carried on conventional cargo vessels.

"Shipping LNG by ISO container is nothing new in North America, but is just starting to take off in China right now," SCI International analyst Liu Zhaohui told Interfax Natural Gas Daily.

The main advantage of container shipments is...