Who We Are
BW Epic Kosan is the world’s leading owner and operator of modern high-quality fully pressurised, semi-refrigerated as well as ethylene and ammonia capable vessels which provide maritime transportation of liquified petroleum gas (LPG), petrochemicals and other speciality gases.
BW Epic Kosan Way
Thinking Big and Small — a global business, with a regional focus on last tonne-mile delivery. We are the worlds’ largest owner and commercial operator of pressurised LPG carriers. We have a market-leading LPG and petrochemical shipping platform, with strong brand recognition and an experienced in-house commercial and technical management team.
The BW Epic Kosan Fleet of LPG and Petrochemical Carriers
Our fleet is modern and our vessels have cargo carrying capacity that cover a wide spectrum — from 3,500cbm to 11,000cbm. BW Epic Kosan has the scale to provide our customers flexibility with a varied sized and high-quality fleet that is globally accepted.
We have progressively focused on the larger pressure vessels, especially those over 7,000cbm, as with many shipping sectors there is an ongoing up-sizing in the tonnage demanded by our customers, assisting to capture the economies of scale in improved value freight for our customer.
The underlying global seaborne LPG market is positive with an annual growth rate that currently stands at 5 – 6%. Additionally, our ships are designed to also carry a range of petrochemical products which provides us diversified earnings as we can switch between LPG and petrochemical markets. This also offers us an opportunity to have a global reach across key trading regions and strengthen relationships with highly diversified blue-chip customers.
With strong revenue momentum, a robust financial profile and supportive ownership, we remain an attractive counterparty for industry stakeholders. We can position our ships in growing and active markets on a global scale and develop a mix of time-charters, voyage-charters and Contracts of Affreightment (COAs).
Our seafarers and teams ashore are 100% focused on delivering a full array of high-quality real-time services to existing customers and developing new customers, niche markets and trade lanes.
Serving Our Customers on a Global Basis
With our headquarters in Singapore, and offices in Copenhagen, Manila and Tokyo, we have the scale and operational resources to serve our customers on a truly global basis. Our clients include many of the world’s leading energy majors and commodity trading houses for whom we work throughout Southeast Asia, Europe, West Africa and the Americas.
Long Term Relationships and the Best Solutions
Our experienced team of seafarers and staff ashore are customer service focused. We value long term relationships with our clients for whom we deliver the best solutions, as promised, meeting deadlines and honouring our agreements. From spot voyages and time charters to Contracts of Affreightment (CoA), we deliver flexible solutions and high-quality service. We strive for excellence and operate to the highest standards of safety, health and environmental care.
Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) is a versatile energy source that is used in many applications
Shipping cleaner-burning LPG to world markets
LPG is a portable, clean and efficient energy source that is readily available to consumers around the world. BW Epic Kosan specialises in its safe and sustainable transportation around the world, especially to hard-to-reach communities.
Delivering to Often Hard To Reach Places
The world needs compact tankers to deliver LPG and petrochemicals to where they are needed, and BW Epic Kosan forms a critical part of the global integrated LPG supply chain. There are over 400 ports around the world that are accessible to our vessels, which are the cheapest and most efficient way to transport LPG the ‘last mile’ to often hard to reach places.
We Serve Our Customers On a Global Basis
With our headquarters in Singapore, and offices in Copenhagen, Manila and Tokyo, we have the scale and operational resources to serve our customers on a truly global basis. Our clients include many of the world’s leading oil majors and commodity trading houses for whom we work throughout Southeast Asia, Europe, West Africa and the Americas.
Long Term Relationships And The Best Solutions
Our experienced team of seafarers and staff ashore are customer service focused. We value long term relationships with our clients for whom we deliver the best solutions, as promised, meeting deadlines and honouring our agreements. From spot voyages and time charters to Contracts of Affreightment (CoA), we deliver flexible solutions and high-quality service.
What is LPG
LPG is made up of light hydrocarbons, predominantly propane (C3) and butane (C4). It is different from Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), which is mostly methane (C1). LPG is a supply-driven by-product, with about 60% derived from crude oil production (Associated Gas) and natural gas production (Non-Associated Gas), and 40% from the refining of crude oil (40%). The supply of LPG as a commodity is growing year on year, with global seaborne trade almost doubled in the past ten years.
With an immediate and global availability, environmental benefits, its natural co-product origin, transportation flexibility and diverse applications, LPG has an important role to play in the global transition towards a more secure, sustainable and competitive energy model.
Transporting LPG
Storage and transportation of large volumes of LPG is in a fully refrigerated state, whilst smaller volumes are generally transported in pressurised vessels such as those owned by BW Epic Kosan. LPG is delivered by ‘last mile’ tanker, train, pipeline or road to cylinder filling plants and intermediate-size storage areas. Cylinders and bulk road tankers are filled with butane and propane at bottling plants for flexible delivery to retailers as well as to private and professional customers.
The LPG Market
The LPG market has been growing at an annual rate of approximately 5-6% in recent years. The USA is now a leading LPG producer and exporter, backed by a strong shale gas industry. The Middle East region remains a principal producer, with Russia, Iran and China gaining ground. On the demand side, China and India have been in the forefront, but other Asian countries like Indonesia, Bangladesh, Vietnam and Pakistan have strong growth potential with high populations and developing infrastructure.
The residential/domestic sector accounts for ~44% of global LPG use. This demand is highest in remote towns and villages that are not connected to a pipeline gas grid. India and Indonesia have adopted policies that have transformed domestic LPG consumption as a replacement for kerosene, wood and other biomass substances. Demand in other sectors like petrochemical feedstock especially propane dehydrogenation (PDH) plants, autogas, fuel for power generation plants and very recently as a fuel for ship engines, lends further support to a robust and developing clean energy market.
Residential / Commercial
Cooking (kitchen and barbecues), heating and lighting
Chemicals and Refinery
Petrochemicals feedstock
Industry
Furnaces, fuel for power generators
Transport
Low-emission alternative to gasoline and diesel for taxis, buses and private cars
Agriculture
Crop harvesting and drying, heating and power for farm equipment
More About Us
Learn more about BW Epic Kosan