Safety fears after leaks are found

A fleet of new ships built for British Gas and other companies to meet Britain’s growing energy needs by bringing in LNG from abroad has been hit by leaks and safety scares.

The ?Methane Kari Elin?, which was delivered 18 months ago from the South Korean yard of Samsung, has been withdrawn from service and is heading back to the far east to try to establish what has gone wrong.

A second ship, the ?Gaz de France Energy?, is currently undergoing repairs at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in France after gas leaks were discovered in tests, even before the vessel was handed over by the shipbuilder. One BP vessel, built to similar designs in the same Samsung yard, is being inspected but two others have been passed and are working normally.