Cosco Shipping Heavy Industry in Shanghai has delivered ETYFA’s converted FSRU which will serve the first Cyprus LNG import terminal in Vasilikos.
CHI Shanghai, the unit of Cosco Shipping, handed over the 137,000-cbm FSRU, Etyfa Prometheas, during a ceremony held on Tuesday, it said in an announcement.
The shipbuilder converted the 2002-built LNG carrier Galea.
CHI Shanghai said this is the first time that a Moss-type LNG carrier was converted to an FSRU in China.
The FSRU is 296 meters long, 46 meters wide, and it has four regasification units each with a capacity of 105 mmscfd (million standard cubic feet per day).
In October 2023, the converted FSRU completed its gas trials and this was the last test for the vessel before delivery.
LNG terminal launch expected in 2024
Cyprus announced the start of construction of its first LNG import facility at Vassilikos in July 2020.
The Natural Gas Infrastructure Company (ETYFA), a unit of DEFA, previously signed an EPCOM (engineer, procure, construct, operate, and maintain) contract with a consortium for the project.
The consortium comprises of state-owned China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering, a unit of CNPC, Metron Energy Applications, Hudong-Zhonghua, and Wilhelmsen Ship Management.
Besides the converted FSRU, the project includes a jetty, a pipeline, and other onshore and offshore related infrastructure in Vasilikos.
From there, gas will be piped to shoreside infrastructure with links to the country’s energy grid mainly for power generation purposes.
DEFA’s ETYFA previously expected to launch the LNG import project for power generation in summer 2022, but the project has been delayed.
According to DEFA, the company now expects the project to be completed in the second half of this year.
Local media reports also previously suggested that Cyprus may charter the FSRU in the meantime until the LNG import infrastructure is ready.
(Updated on January 16 to say that CHI Shanghai has delivered the converted FSRU.)
