Qatargas deliveres LNG on-board a Q-Max Vessel to Jebel Ali Port for the first time
For the first time Qatargas Operating Company Limited (Qatargas) has delivered LNG on-board a Q-Max Vessel to the Dubai Supply Authority (DUSUP) LNG Terminal located at the Jebel Ali Port. The Q-Max LNG Vessel “Lijmiliya” has a capacity of 263,000 cubic meters, a length of 345 meters and is one of the largest LNG vessel class in the world. The “Lijmiliya” under charter to Qatargas is owned by Qatar Gas Transport Company Ltd. (Nakilat) and operated by Shell International Trading and Shipping Company Ltd. (STASCo), Qatargas said in its press release.
The “Lijmiliya” was partially loaded with 150,000 cubic meters of LNG in the Port of Ras Laffan and arrived on the morning of 27th October alongside DUSUP’s 125,000 cubic meter Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU), ”Golar Freeze,” which is moored at a jetty in the Jebel Ali Port for unloading its cargo. This being the first occasion for Q-Max vessel to call at Jebel Ali, the “Lijmiliya” was berthed in daylight hours and will take approximately 2 days to unload her cargo.
Qatargas and its partners followed a robust process of management of change in terms of due diligence that was required to get the Q-Max accepted in Jebel Ali Port.
On this occasion the Qatargas CEO stated:
“Qatargas has been safely and reliably delivering LNG to Dubai since November 2010 on board Q-Flex vessels. Today’s delivery marks the culmination of a lot of hard work by Qatargas, DUSUP, Nakilat and STASCo teams, taking an innovative risk based approach, to ensure that the Golar Freeze could safely receive LNG from the world’s largest LNG carrier. The safe and efficient loading, transportation and discharge of LNG are crucial to maintaining Qatargas’ reliability as the world’s largest LNG producer and supplier.”
The delivery is part of an agreement signed in 2008 between Qatargas 4 and Shell International LNG Supply for the supply of LNG to DUSUP in Dubai. The first Q-Flex cargo from Qatargas was delivered to DUSUP in November 2010.
Qatargas currently utilizes a fleet of 19 Q-Flex and 13 Q-Max vessels in addition to 12 conventional LNG vessels, giving it the flexibility to deliver LNG safely and reliably to markets across the world.