A small-scale LNG carrier ordered six years ago has arrived in Indonesia in readiness for a project that will supply gas to a powership.
Ship tracking data shows the 13,720-cbm Hua Xiang 8 (built 2016) is off the north-western coast of North Sulawesi after leaving China in mid-June.
Those following the project said the vessel will be used as a floating storage unit (FSU) to supply an existing powership off Amurang, which is being switched over from burning fuel oil to gas.
They said the Hua Xiang 8 will be used in conjunction with a purpose-built floating regasification unit to provide a quick start-up supply of gas.
They expect the gas imports to start up in late July or early August.
Last year, Indonesian state-owned power company PLN — via subsidiary PLN Gas & Geothermal — tendered for an LNG carrier for this business.
PLN specified that the LNG import project was designed to supply gas to Karpowership’s 125 MW Karadeniz Powership Zeynep Sultan (built 1984), which has been burning fuel oil since it started operations off Amurang in 2015.
At the beginning of last year, TradeWinds reported that Indonesian owner Humpuss Intermoda Transportasi — working in partnership with LNG Japan Corp — was trying to acquire the then NYK Line and MISC-controlled 18,800-cbm LNG carrier Aman Hakata (built 1998) for the FSU.
Flexible solution
That vessel, renamed Pelita Energy, has been bought by Jaya Samudra Karunia Shipping, which was involved in the development of the Benoa LNG import terminal in Bali.
Humpuss had previously been reported as eyeing up the Hua Xiang 8 for other business.
Buana Lintas Lautan was also named as among those bidding for the Amurang work.
PLN has been looking for a flexible solution on gas supply, with units that can be redeployed to dovetail with its own charter on the powership.
The Hu Xiang 8 was one of two Chinese-built, small-scale LNG carriers that were offered round the market two years ago.
It was contracted by Zhejiang Huaxiang Shipping of China at Qidong Fengshun Shipbuilding Heavy Industry Co in March 2014 to serve expected Chinese coastal LNG business.
It is unclear when the newbuilding was delivered, but it is listed on Clarksons Shipping Intelligence Network as being built in 2016 and leased by CIMC Capital.
Clarksons previously reported that the owners were understood to be looking to charter the ship out to third parties for a minimum period of two years.
