Spain’s Siport21 has won a contract from Qatari LNG firm Qatargas, a unit of QatarEnergy, to deliver navigation studies mainly focused to guarantee the safety of operations at the Ras Laffan port expansion projects.
The Madrid-based maritime and port engineering consultancy said in a statement the contract would last up to six years, but it did not reveal the financial details of the deal.
“The area of interest for this project includes new oil and LNG terminals that must be fully
and safely integrated into the rest of the current and future port operations,” Siport21 said.
According to the firm, the nautical studies would involve determining operational limits, maneuvering and tugs assistance, mooring analysis, and risk assessment.
In addition, the contract scope includes the possibility of delivering nautical studies in other terminals where Qatargas-chartered vessels operate, Siport21 said.
Siport21 has previously executed projects for Qatargas in different terminals
around the world, including in Poland, Thailand, Pakistan, Jordan, Norway, and Greece.
The firm said it has developed several studies involving Qatargas-chartered fleet, in particular Q-Flex and Q-Max vessels.
QatarEnergy’s unit Qatargas currently operates in total fourteen LNG trains at Ras Laffan.
However, QatarEnergy is working on a huge expansion at the giant complex.
The firm announced a final investment decision on its $28.75 billion North Field East project in February last year.
Under the project, QatarEnergy will build four mega trains with a capacity of 8 million tonnes per year in the Ras Laffan complex.
This first phase of the expansion project will increase Qatar’s LNG production capacity from 77 to 110 mtpa while the second phase will further boost capacity to total 126 mtpa.
QatarEnergy expects first LNG from the expansion projects in 2025.