Soaring prices and demand for liquefied natural gas (LNG) in Asia have pushed spot LNG freight rates to over $200,000 per day as traders scramble to book vessels to ship the fuel to energy-starved markets in Asia. A vessel to carry LNG from Gladstone, Australia, to Tokyo is now assessed at a time charter rate of $262,215 per day by the Baltic Exchange, Lloyd’s List’s Michelle Wiese Bockmann writes in an analysis . The Pacific spot LNG freight rates have jumped this week to the highest premium on record over Atlantic rates, driven by a lack of Pacific vessels, strong cargo demand globally, and lack of new tonnage heading to Asia given strong European cargo prices, LNG freight assessor Spark Commodities said . “There are very limited spot vessels so if there is a prompt vessel requirement for those lifting (free-on-board) then the potential cargo margin could mean the […]