World’s largest FSRU to arrive in Hong Kong this week

The world’s largest FSRU, owned by MOL, is expected to arrive in Hong Kong this week to start serving Hong Kong’s first LNG import facility, according to shipping data.

The 263,000-cbm MOL FSRU Challenger left Singapore last week and should arrive in Hong Kong on April 13, its AIS data provided by VesselsValue shows.

According to the data, the vessel appears to be empty.

This FSRU has a nominal capacity of 600 million cubic feet per day with a maximum capacity of 800 million cubic feet per day.

To remind, Japan’s MOL and Dutch Vopak signed a deal in 2021 to jointly own the giant FSRU which will serve the new offshore LNG terminal in Hong Kong.

Under the deal, Vopak had planned to buy 49.99 percent of the shares from MOL in the vessel owning company of the 2017-built, 345 meters long FSRU.

However, Vopak said in a statement on Tuesday it will not purchase the stake in the FSRU.

MOL and Vopak will provide jetty operations and maintenance and port services to the LNG import project.

The two firms also joined forces for the development of the project’s double berth jetty and maintenance services.

World's largest FSRU to arrive in Hong Kong this week
Image: CLP

Commercial launch in mid-2023

CLP Power and HK Electric said last month that they have issued a tender to buy a commissioning cargo for Hong Kong’s first LNG import terminal.

A spokeswoman for HK Electric confirmed to LNG Prime that the target for the offshore LNG terminal in Hong Kong to go into commercial operation in mid-2023 remains unchanged.

Hong Kong LNG Terminal is a joint venture consisting of power firm HK Electric and Castle Peak Power, in which CLP Power Hong Kong holds 70 percent and China Southern Power Grid International has 30 percent.

The LNG import terminal project forms part of Hong Kong’s initiative to reduce emissions. The city and special administrative region of China aims to replace about half of its power generation fuel with natural gas.

Besides the giant FSRU, the facility includes the mentioned jetty and subsea pipelines.

Regasified LNG coming from the FSRU will supply two power plants and these include the Black Point power station located in the New Territories and Lamma power station located at Lamma Island.

Also, Shell will supply LNG as part of a long-term deal signed with the two utilities in 2019.

(Article updated to say that Vopak will not take a stake in the FSRU.)

- Advertisements -

Most Popular

QatarEnergy picks shipowners for 18 giant LNG carriers

LNG giant QatarEnergy has selected shipowners to own and operate 18 Q-Max LNG carriers as part of its massive...

VTTI, IKAV to take majority stake in Italy’s Adriatic LNG terminal

Rotterdam-based storage terminal owner VTTI, co-owned by Vitol, IFM, and Adnoc, joined forces with German asset manager IKAV to...

Seapeak says working on charter and other opportunities for six LNG carriers

Stonepeak's Seapeak is pursuing various opportunities relating to six of its liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers which are scheduled...

More News Like This

Hudong-Zhonghua launches two LNG carriers

Chinese shipbuilder Hudong-Zhonghua has on Sunday launched two liquefied natural gas carriers as it looks to deliver in total...

Vopak, Transnet testing market interest in South African LNG terminal

Dutch terminal operator Vopak and its partner Transnet Pipelines are testing the market’s interest in regasification and storage capacity...

Japan’s MOL takes delivery of LNG-powered car carrier

Japan's shipping giant MOL has taken delivery of the LNG dual-fuel car carrier, Cerulean Ace. The Onishi Shipyard of Shin...

Dutch Gate testing market interest for fourth LNG jetty

Dutch Gate LNG terminal in the port of Rotterdam is testing the market’s interest in small-scale LNG ship loading...