Jerry Kalogiratos Highlights Key Role of Energy Transition and Data Demand in LNG Outlook

At the 19th Annual Capital Link International Shipping Forum, held Monday at the Metropolitan Club in Manhattan, energy transition and long-term prospects for liquefied natural gas (LNG) took center stage during a panel on the gas shipping sector. Among the speakers, Jerry Kalogiratos, CEO of Capital Clean Energy Carriers Corp. (NASDAQ: CCEC), offered a commanding outlook on LNG and carbon capture shipping, positioning his company at the forefront of an evolving maritime landscape increasingly shaped by clean energy demands and technological shifts.

“We own and operate the largest U.S.-listed fleet of two-stroke LNG carriers,” Kalogiratos said. “That’s 12 vessels on the water and six more on the way.” Backed by $2.5 billion in contracted revenue and a seven-year charter backlog, CCEC is betting heavily on what Kalogiratos called “energy transition cargos”—ranging from LNG and LPG to ammonia and liquid CO₂.

The LNG shipping market, Kalogiratos argued, is heading for a crunch. “We see the LNG market moving into balance in 2026/early 27. Strong 7-10 year charter rates remain robust reflecting underlying fundamentals for forward deliveries” he commented adding that supply delays in new export capacity—about 30 million tons per annum (MTPA) behind schedule—are expected to clear by 2026 and 2027, triggering a sharp tightening in vessel availability.

Yet perhaps more significant was Kalogiratos’ focus on carbon capture and storage (CCUS) transport, an emerging niche in the shipping world. CCEC owns four of the world’s first liquid CO₂ carriers—handy-sized, multi-gas vessels that Kalogiratos described as “a big part of a very small order book.” He sees these vessels playing a critical role in decarbonization, particularly in Europe, where projects like Norway’s Northern Lights and the EU-backed Stella Maris are ramping up.

Kalogiratos also cited rising energy needs from AI-powered data centers as a long-term tailwind for LNG demand, calling the market outlook “very strong” despite short-term volatility.

Nikos Bornozis (Capital Link), Liam Burke (B Riley Securities), Kristian Sorensen (BW LPG), Jerry Kalogiratos (Capital Clean Energy Carriers Corp.), Richard Tyrrell (Cool Company), Ted Young (Dorian LPG) and Randy Giveans (Navigator Gas)

Other panelists echoed the upbeat tone on gas shipping. Richard Tyrrell, CEO of Cool Company (NYSE: CLCO), acknowledged temporary pressure on LNG due to a breakdown in inter-basin arbitrage but maintained that U.S. export growth and longer sailing distances bode well for future shipping demand.

For the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) segment, BW LPG CEO Kristian Sorensen said underlying commodity dynamics remain robust, with rising demand in Asia and potential new growth in Africa. Dorian LPG’s CFO Ted Young added that LPG continues to gain ground in petrochemicals and that fleet growth remains manageable.

Randy Giveans, Head of Investor Relations at Navigator Gas, focused on diversification as a buffer against macroeconomic uncertainty. “We transport seven commodities across multiple continents,” he said. “That gives us a degree of earnings stability, especially with a balanced mix of spot and time-chartered exposure.”

Source: In.gr