Oslo-listed Himalaya Shipping has lined up fresh employment for its newcastlemax, keeping the LNG dual-fuel bulker trading at a premium to the wider capesize market.

The Tor Olav Troim-backed owner said the 2024-built 210,000 dwt Mount Emai has secured a charter for 12 to 14 months, starting in the first half of May immediately after redelivery from its current employment.

The deal is index-linked, with earnings set above the Baltic 5TC benchmark. The contract also includes optionality to convert to a fixed rate based on the forward freight agreement (FFA) curve.

The fixture follows the pattern set on the vessel’s initial employment. Delivered in June 2024, Mount Emai was fixed to a major Japanese shipping company on a 23 to 27-month charter, with options to extend and similar index-linked exposure. That deal also included profit sharing tied to scrubber and LNG operations, alongside flexibility to switch to fixed rates.

Himalaya Shipping currently controls a fleet of 12 LNG dual-fuel newcastlemax vessels delivered between 2023 and 2024. Technical management is handled by OSM Thome and Wilhelmsen Ship Management.

The latest fixture continues a steady run of index-linked deals for the owner. In both January and March, Himalaya Shipping secured similar contracts at premiums to benchmark capesize rates.