Shanghai: China Shipping Development (CSD) tells SinoShip News it is still discussing with various parties plans to order a further six LNG carriers, likely to be with Japan's Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL).

"The discussion of this project has taken a long time, and no contracts have been signed yet," an official in Shanghai said.

In 2011, MOL and CSD ordered four 172,000 cu m LNG carriers at Shanghai's Hudong-Zhonghua, the first gas carriers ever ordered by China Shipping.

The pair are believed to be close to following up this order with one for six ships, in a deal believed to be worth around $1.1bn, a source in Shanghai told SinoShip News. The ships will shift gas for Sinopec from Australia.