Japan’s SBI Leasing Services has partnered with France’s BNP Paribas to arrange a leasing agreement with George Economou-led TMS Group for the newly built Athos LNG carrier.
The vessel was completed in September last year at Samsung Heavy Industries in South Korea. The 174,000 cu m is under a long-term charter to Osaka Gas International Transport, a subsidiary of Osaka Gas responsible for LNG shipping operations.
The vessel is equipped with ME-GA propulsion, a shaft generator, and an air lubrication system which enable the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
SBI said that it took on the project as it would contribute to the Japanese economy by providing a stable supply of energy, and “provide investors with further opportunities for ESG investment.”
The financing scheme is a Japanese Operating Lease with Call Option, otherwise known as JOLCO. This one in particular attracted both foreign and domestic financial institutions such as BNP Paribas and SBI Shinsei Bank.
As of January 2025, the TMS Group fleet consists of 181 ships, 17 of which are LNG carriers, including the ones under construction.
