Total has officially opened its new regional headquarters in Singapore, which will include its shipping operations, in a move design to accelerate growth in the Asia Pacific.

The French energy major said the new office aims to bring all of its activities under one roof into what is described as a “super hub”.

The six business divisions include trading and shipping, marine fuels global solutions, exploration and production, gas renewables and power, refining and petrochemicals, marketing and services, as well as Total Global Services.

Total said the new regional headquarters was “pivotal in driving business growth and innovation” as well as talent development in Singapore and Asia Pacific.

“The inauguration of our new regional headquarters not only represents our next chapter of sustainable growth, but also reaffirms Total’s commitment to invest and develop in Singapore for the long-term,” said Christian Cabrol, chief executive of Total Oil Asia Pacific.

On LNG, he said Total is the second largest LNG player in the world and that Asia was “clearly driving LNG growth”.

“Singapore’s position as the major LNG trading hub in Asia is a key contributing factor to our overall LNG growth,” he added.

Cabrol said LNG has also a major role to play as a cleaner transportation fuel, especially for the maritime sector.

Singapore Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean, speaking at the office inauguration, said that to date Singapore had supplied LNG to 170 vessels using tanker trucks.

“I am glad that Total will be leveraging the Singapore regional headquarters to manage its LNG business in the region,” he said.