Awilco LNG changes course with CEO exit and board revamp

The Oslo-listed LNG shipping company said Storheill and the board had jointly agreed that the company should move into its next phase under new leadership, ending a run that stretches back to Awilco LNG’s stock market listing in 2011. Storheill has been one of the defining figures behind the company since its launch and has overseen its development through volatile LNG shipping cycles, including periods of weak charter markets and the recent recovery in gas carrier demand.

The company said the board thanked him for his “long-standing and valuable contribution, leadership, and dedication” over the past 15 years.

The management shake-up comes alongside proposed boardroom changes that will be put to shareholders at the next annual general meeting.

Awilco LNG’s nomination committee plans to propose Anders Onarheim as chairman of the board, replacing the current leadership structure as the company looks to reposition itself for the next stage of growth.  Onarheim is well known across shipping and energy circles following senior roles at BW LPG and the Carnegie group. He previously served as chief executive of BW LPG and has spent more than 25 years in capital markets and maritime-related investments.

The proposed appointment has the backing of Awilco LNG’s largest shareholders, the company said.

The changes signal a notable transition for the specialist LNG owner, which currently owns two 2013-built 156,000 cu m TFDE membrane LNG carriers, WilForce and WilPride.   Awilco LNG did not outline a long-term successor for Storheill, but said chief financial officer Per Heiberg has been appointed interim chief executive with immediate effect while a replacement search is carried out. Heiberg joined Awilco LNG in 2021 after spending more than 15 years at Golden Ocean Group, including a stint as CFO of the US-listed dry bulk owner from 2016.