March 16, 2026 [Storage Terminals Magazine]- Stolt-Nielsen Limited, through its subsidiary Stolt-Nielsen Gas Ltd., has announced that it has entered into a share purchase agreement to sell 50 percent of Avenir LNG Limited to Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha. Avenir LNG was founded in 2017 and has grown into a leading player in the liquefied natural gas bunkering sector, operating a global fleet of LNG bunker vessels.

Through the partnership, Stolt-Nielsen and NYK Line will expand their future small-scale LNG and LNG bunkering opportunities through the joint venture, supporting the global transition to LNG and bio-LNG for marine fuel and other industrial applications. Following a wave of dual-fuel LNG vessel orders in recent years, LNG is rapidly being adopted as a practical and scalable fuel enabling shipping to achieve emissions reductions. The new joint venture underscores both companies’ commitment to sustainable energy solutions for the maritime industry.

Udo Lange, CEO of Stolt-Nielsen Limited, said the joint venture deepened the company’s long-standing partnership with NYK Line while supporting Avenir LNG’s position in small-scale LNG supply and bunkering. He noted that NYK’s experience in shipping and logistics, together with potential market opportunities arising from the continued expansion of LNG-fuelled vessels, was expected to add value to Avenir LNG, its customers and Stolt-Nielsen’s shareholders. Lange added that the transaction reflected Stolt-Nielsen’s commitment to supporting sustainable energy solutions across global shipping supply chains by facilitating safe and reliable access to LNG fuel.

Hironobu Watanabe, chief executive of the energy division at NYK Line, highlighted the strong relationship NYK had built with Stolt-Nielsen through the chemical tanker business, describing it as a foundation of trust and proven partnership. He said NYK was pleased to establish the new joint venture through Avenir LNG, noting that LNG and bio-LNG fuel had taken on an increasingly essential and practical role in supporting a sustainable energy transition as the maritime industry accelerated its decarbonisation efforts. Watanabe expressed confidence that Avenir LNG would be well positioned to meet growing market demands and deliver enhanced value to the supply chain, and reaffirmed NYK’s commitment to advancing LNG and bio-LNG bunkering initiatives in pursuit of a more sustainable future for the maritime industry.

Jonathan Quinn, managing director of Avenir LNG, welcomed NYK Line as a strategic partner alongside Stolt-Nielsen. He described the joint venture as bringing together two highly respected shipping and logistics groups with complementary strengths and a shared long-term vision for LNG as a marine fuel. Quinn said NYK Line’s global reach and operational expertise would enhance Avenir LNG’s ability to develop its business, accelerate LNG bunkering solutions, and support customers’ decarbonisation strategies as the market continued to mature.