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“Galveston LNG Bunker Port is two big steps closer to a final investment decision (FID) with the award of key environmental permits and approvals from the Texas Railroad Commission (water quality certification) and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (air permit),” the company said via its social media on Tuesday.
GLBP aims to secure all permits in the first quarter of 2025.
Also, GLBP plans to start construction by the first quarter of 2025 and to launch production of marine fuel for its customers in 2027, it said.
Last year, Pilot LNG and Seapath filed applications with the United States Army Corps of Engineers seeking authorization to build and operate their planned LNG bunkering facility in Galveston.
The partners said in January that they signed a lease agreement with the City of Texas City for 140 acres of land on Shoal Point in Galveston County.
In addition, Pilot LNG and Seapath secured gas supply for their planned LNG bunkering facility with GLBP entering into a gas supply agreement with Energy Transfer’s Houston Pipeline (HPL).
This gas supply agreement supports GLBP in providing LNG marine fuel to customers in the Galveston Bay Port complex, including the ports of Houston, Galveston, and Texas City, as well as Galveston Offshore Lightering Areas, on a long-term basis.
The partners claim the GLBP project will be the region’s first dedicated LNG bunker terminal to provide LNG as marine fuel.
Among the industries adopting LNG as a marine fuel, the cruise ship, RoRo car carriers, and containerized shipping industries are particularly notable, both due to their significant bunker requirements as well as their prominent involvement in the Galveston Bay port complex, the partners said.
Currently, cruise ships already make about 380 port calls each year at the three existing
cruise terminals in Galveston, with a 4th terminal starting construction last year,
In addition, there are over 10,000 deep draft vessel calls annually in the Galveston Bay port
complex, the partners said.