Freeport LNG has shipped the first cargo from its LNG export plant in Texas since the shutdown in June last year, according to shipping data.
As previously reported by LNG Prime, the 2008-built 155,000-cbm LNG carrier, Kmarin Diamond, docked at the first of two Freeport LNG jetties on Friday as the LNG terminal operator works to restart the plant.
Kmarin Diamond is chartered by BP, one of the offtakers of Freeport LNG volumes along Jera, Osaka Gas, SK E&S, and TotalEnergies.
According to its AIS data provided by VesselsValue, Kmarin Diamond left the Freeport LNG plant on Sunday after loading a partial cargo of LNG.
Reports suggest that the LNG carrier Kmarin Diamond probably loaded volumes from Freeport LNG’s tanks that were produced prior to the incident that took place on June 8 last year.
The AIS data shows that the LNG carrier is heading toward Port Said, north of the Suez Canal, suggesting it could deliver the cargo to Asia.
However, the vessel could also be heading towards Europe. In December, it delivered a Sabine Pass LNG cargo to the Croatian FSRU.
Second tanker arrives
Following the departure of Kmarin Diamond, a second tanker also arrived at the three-train 15 mtpa Freeport LNG facility on Sunday.
The LNG carrier in question is the 2019-built 180,000-cbm, Prism Agility, owned by SK Shipping.
SK E&S uses this carrier to transport its contracted Freeport LNG volumes.
Freeport LNG received approval from the US FERC on February 9 to “return to service LNG Loop 1 circulation and Dock 1 for ship loading” as part of the restart process.
Prior to this, Freeport LNG secured approval to start introducing natural gas into the third liquefaction train.
Freeport LNG did not provide an update on the restart process since December last year.
The LNG terminal operator needs to secure additional approvals from regulators prior to restarting full operations at the plant.