Oslo-listed shipping and logistics group Stolt-Nielsen is weighing a partial sell-down of its small-scale LNG business Avenir LNG, just months after taking full control of the company.
In a stock exchange filing, Stolt-Nielsen said its subsidiary Stolt-Nielsen Gas is in discussions with a strategic buyer over the potential sale of up to 50% of its interest in the London-based LNG bunkering player.
Avenir LNG operates five small-scale LNG bunker vessels currently in service, with two more under construction.
Any transaction would leave Stolt-Nielsen with a significant holding. If a deal is agreed, the group plans to jointly own and operate Avenir LNG as a joint venture with the incoming partner.
The potential sale remains subject to final documentation and customary regulatory approvals, which are expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2026.
The move comes less than a year after Stolt-Nielsen Gas completed the compulsory acquisition of the remaining shares in Avenir LNG in April 2025, making it a wholly owned subsidiary. The latest talks suggest the group is now looking to bring in a partner to help fund growth and underline the value of the LNG segment.
Shipping analysts at Swedish investment bank SEB estimate Avenir LNG’s enterprise value at around $210m, based on a 9.0x EV/EBITDA multiple on 2026 forecasts. SEB said a deal at or above that level would help crystallise the unit’s value and could act as a positive catalyst for Stolt-Nielsen’s shares.
Beyond LNG, Stolt-Nielsen operates across bulk liquid and chemical logistics through its Stolt Tankers, Stolthaven Terminals and Stolt Tank Containers divisions, alongside its aquaculture business, Stolt Sea Farm.
