Shipowner GasLog has given Keppel Shipyard the go-ahead to start the conversion of an LNG carrier into the floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) that will serve Greece’s Alexandroupolis project.
Keppel said it had received the final notice to proceed (FNTP) from GAS-fifteen Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of GasLog Carriers for the engineering procurement construction (EPC) conversion of an LNG carrier into an FSRU, after a limited notice was given in November 2021.
GasLog’s spokesman told TradeWinds that the vessel to be used for the conversion is the 153,000-cbm dual-fuel diesel-electric GasLog Chelsea (built 2010).
The vessel — the former STX Frontier — was bought by GasLog in 2013 for $160m in a distressed sale from STX Pan Ocean.
Keppel said its scope of work for this project includes the EPC of the regasification skid, as well as the supporting systems such as boilers, spread-mooring, offloading, electrical and automation systems.
The shipyard said this will be its sixth major FSRU conversion after undertaking its first in 2008.
Project developer Gastrade took a final investment decision on the long-planned Alexandroupolis LNG import terminal in January.
In a statement, it was detailed that GasLog, which is a shareholder in Gastrade, would be converting one of its vessels for the project.
GasLog will also operate and maintain the 5.5bn cbm per annum FSRU, which will have a peak send out of 22m cbm per day, when it goes on station some 17 km southwest of Alexandroupolis in northern Greece.
The FSRU-based terminal, which will be connected to the shore by a 28km pipeline, is due to be operational by the end of 2023 supplying Greece and the wider markets.
