Purus said to expand gas platform with single LNG carrier order at SHI

Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) announced on 20 March that it had secured a contract to construct an LNG carrier for an undisclosed Oceania-based owner. Shipbroking and market sources have identified Purus as the buyer, although the company has not yet commented.

The vessel, valued at just over US$252M, is scheduled for delivery by April 2029. Korean media indicate that SHI intends to continue prioritising higher value-added vessels, including LNG carriers and container ships, this year.

In late 2025, Riviera reported that Purus had been linked to an order for two LNG carriers at SHI, with deliveries expected by the end of Q1 2029. Shipbrokers indicate that the latest order represents an option exercised under that earlier agreement.

According to information on its website, Purus owns and operates a fleet of 21 gas carriers transporting LNG, ammonia, LPG, and ethane.

As of January 2026, the fleet had a total capacity of 1.97M m³ and an average age of just 0.3 years.

Last year, Purus also entered the LNG bunker vessel segment, ordering two 18,900-m³ units at China’s Nantong CIMC Sinopacific Offshore & Engineering. These vessels are scheduled for delivery in 2028 and will be chartered to Shell.

According to Greece-based Xclusiv Shipbrokers, 26 LNG carriers had been ordered globally so far this year as of early March. The firm estimates that vessels currently under construction represent 40.2% of the active fleet in capacity terms, compared with 47.5% during the same period last year.