Denmark’s Svitzer, a unit of Maersk, has secured a contract from Greece’s Gastrade to provide towage services for the latter’s FSRU-based LNG import project in Alexandroupolis.
Under the 15-year service deal, Svitzer will apply its global terminal towage expertize and experience to rapidly set up towage services and support for advanced LNG operations at the new import terminal, the firm said in a statement.
According to the world’s largest tugboat operator, it will provide four new ASD tugboats, fully manned by Greek crew, to assist the FSRU and the carriers delivering LNG.
Svitzer tugboats will provide berthing, un-berthing, navigation assistance, and other terminal services including firefighting, pollution control, pilot and boarding party transfer.
The firm will also provide support and station keeping services to the FSRU during initial installation.
The project marks Svitzer’s first entry into the Greek market.
While the Alexandroupolis LNG terminal is set to become operational in the beginning of 2024, Svitzer has already initiated the recruitment process to ensure staff undergo robust training, it said.
Svitzer did not reveal the price tag of the contract.
First Greek FSRU project
In March this year, Gastrade launched a tender for the provision of marine support services for the FSRU-based LNG import project in Alexandroupolis.
Gastrade said at the time that it expected the project with a capacity of 5.5 Bcm to start commercial operation in the fourth quarter of this year.
The Greek company took the final investment decision on the project worth 363.7 million euros ($407.7 million) in January last year and officially started construction in May the same year.
The company’s shareholders include founder Copelouzou, DESFA, DEPA, GasLog, and Bulgartransgaz.
With this project, Greece will get its first FSRU and the second LNG import facility, adding to DESFA’s import terminal located on the island of Revithoussa.
Greece’s first FSRU will connect to the gas grid via a 28 km long pipeline, which includes offshore and onshore sections, to supply the markets of Greece, Bulgaria and the wider region.
Last year, shareholder and LNG shipping firm GasLog told Singapore’s Keppel Offshore & Marine to proceed with the conversion of the 2010-built 153,600-cbm LNG carrier, GasLog Chelsea, to an FSRU.
GasLog will sell this unit to Gastrade for about $265 million.
The vessel entered the yard in February this year and the partners renamed it to Alexandroupoli.
Besides this project, Gastrade is working on another similar development.
The Thrace LNG project would consist of a 170,000-cbm FSRU located in the Thracian Sea, offshore Alexandroupolis.