Golar LNG (GLNG) used to be in the LNG shipping business. Then the company got involved with FSRUs (Floating Storage & Regasification Units) and also created an MLP unit, which took over a majority of the FSRUs [Edit: Plus some of long term charter vessels]. GLNG then sold its TFDE shipping segment to CoolCo (CLCO). That left Golar with a legacy LNG tanker, Golar Arctic. Well, the vessel has been sold.
$24M seems low for an LNG tanker. Then again, maybe it is a sign of the times. There is a huge number of similar LNG tankers, some rolling off long term charters, that are now in the market. Perhaps low charter rates will take a good number of them out of the market.
Just to validate the point, GLNG purchased Fuji LNG about 21 months ago, for the FLNG Mark II project. That vessel is a year younger (2004-build) and GLNG paid $73M for the vessel.
FWIW, a primary reason for purchasing Fuji LNG for the FLNG conversion is that Moss-type structures are better suited for conversion activity. That might not be the case with an FLNG newbuild.