Bahrain is due to receive its new floating storage unit in January as it prepares to join the league of gas importing nations.

Those working closely with the project said Teekay LNG Partners’ 173,400-cbm Bahrain Spirit (built 2018) is currently scheduled to arrive on 31 January.

The vessel, which was originally contracted as an LNG carrier but modified to serve as an FSU, is inbound to Fujairah and set to arrive there at the end of this week.

It is expected to arrive with a cargo to help with commissioning work.

Onshore regasification

Bahrain LNG has been built as an onshore regasification facility located in the Hidd Industrial Area to the north-east of Khalifa Bin Salman Port that will offer 800 million standard cubic feet per day of capacity.

Teekay, which has a 30% stake in Bahrain LNG, has said previously that the facility is expected to be operational around the end of the first quarter.

But offshore construction works for the project’s jetty are not due to be concluded until February.

Bahrain LNG was originally targeting a start-up in mid-July 2018.

The Bahrain Spirit delivered in September just in time to hit what turned into a red-hot spot market for LNG carriers.

The vessel was seen loading a cargo from Bontang in Indonesia.

Aside from Teekay, local developer The Oil & Gas Holding Co controls a 30% stake in Bahrain LNG, with Gulf Investment Corp on 24% and Samsung C&T Corp on 16%.