Iran’s Feb. LPG exports around 400,000 tons
Iran’s LPG shipments eased to between 358,500 tons and 402,500 tons in February after recording a post-sanctions high of 520,000 tons in January, sustaining robust exports after normal production resumed in mid-november following maintenance at the South Pars Gas Field, fixtures from shipping sources showed this week.
The February shipments are destined for China, Taiwan, Africa and possibly India, according to shipping sources and S&P Global Platts trade flow software cflow.
Unlike in previous months, no vessels were seen bound for Indonesia, as Iran and Indonesia are still negotiating the renewal of their term contract.
Naftiran Intertrade Co. (NICO), a subsidiary of National Iranian Oil Co., lifted a 44,000-ton evenly split cargo from Iranian Gas Commercial Co., or IGCC, at Assalouyeh on February 17, aboard the VLGC BW Elm. The vessel is now off southwestern Sri Lanka.
According to shipping sources, NICO was also due to lift an IGCC cargo comprising 33,000 tons of propane and 11,000 tons of butane on a second trip aboard the BW Elm. The vessel is destined for Mailiao in Taiwan.
NICO had also lifted in January a 44,000-ton evenly split cargo from IGCC for delivery to Mailiao aboard the LPG Capricorn which was at the Taiwanese port between February 7 and 13.
Thai trader Siam Gas lifted at Assalouyeh on February 5 aboard the VLGC Ming Long, a cargo comprising 33,000 tons of propane and 11,000 tons of butane from IGCC. The vessel is due to arrive at Shantou around February 25, and is currently off the southeast Chinese coast.
Trading firm Pacific Petrochemical has lifted at Assalouyeh a 22,000-ton evenly split cargo from Kharg Petrochemical aboard the Pacific Rizhao, as well as a 20,000ton propane lot from Persian Gulf Petrochemical Industry Commercial Co., or PGPICC. The vessel, which is currently in the Gulf of Oman, is due to arrive at Qinzhou around March 10.
Pacific Petrochemical lifted a 44,000-ton evenly split cargo from PGPICC aboard the Sea Dragon, which is due to arrive in Ningbo on March 5. It is currently in the Indian Ocean.
Pacific Petrochemical also lifted a cargo comprising 33,000 tons of propane and 11,000 tons of butane from IGCC aboard the Gas Courage, which is due to arrive in Ningbo on March 3. The VLGC is currently off Singapore. International trading firm Petredec is lifting a 44,000-ton propane cargo aboard the BW Orion from IGCC. The vessel is currently off Fujairah though its destination is not immediately known. BW Orion had been in Ningbo around end-january.
Azerbaijani trading firm Socar is lifting from PGPICC a 44,000-ton evenly split cargo aboard the Everrich 10, shipping sources said. The VLGC is now in the Strait of Hormuz. The vessel was last in Zhangjiagang in late January.
Iranian trading firm Triliance is lifting aboard the Gas Crystal a 44,000-ton propane cargo from PGPICC, shipping sources said. The vessel is currently near the Gulf of Oman.
International trading firm Glencore is lifting an 8,500tons butane parcel from PGPICC aboard the Seaspeed, shipping sources said. The vessel is currently near Fujairah, the UAE.
The Seaspeed was last in Mombasa, Kenya in early February and had also been at Beira in Mozambique before that.
So far, only one fixture is seen for March lifting from Assalouyeh, shipping sources said. Siam Gas is lifting a 44,000-ton propane cargo from IGCC aboard the VLGC Ming De, which is first due to land at Jebel Ali in the UAE on Saturday.
The Thai-flagged vessel was last seen in southern China around end-january.
Iran’s LPG shipments in 2017 totaled around 3.5 million tons, with the highest monthly volume last year seen in August at 423,000 tons before the South Pars Gas Field maintenance, which started in September and sharply reduced exports.