A Brazil-based floating storage and regasification unit controlled by Karpowership and Mitsui OSK Lines joint venture KARMOL has received its first LNG volumes that will enable it to supply gas to several nearby powerships.
The 28,689-cbm small-scale LNG carrier CNTIC Vpower Global (built 2020) took on a cargo at France’s Dunkerque LNG terminal, according to Kpler.
Eikland Energy’s iGIS/LNG data shows the small-scale LNG carrier discharged a full cargo in a ship-to-ship operation to the 127,452-cbm FSRU KARMOL LNGT Powership Asia (built 1991) on 25 October.
This is the first time one of KARMOL’s FSRUs has taken on commercial LNG volumes to feed gas to associated powerships.
The Brazilian FSRU arrived in Sepetiba Bay, Brazil on 11 May after loading a commissioning cargo in Singapore and stopping off in South Africa en route for inspections.
The FSRU is to be used to supply gas to four powerships that are positioned nearby. Of these two have been commissioned and commissioning is in progress on a third.
Together the quartet will supply a total of 560 MW of combined capacity to Brazil.
Officials for Karpowership had previously indicated that the KARMOL LNGT Powership Asia, which is a conversion of the LNG carrier Northwest Shearwater, would start operations in July.
But sky-high LNG prices have been a factor in slowing the start-up of KARMOL’s concept to switch its powerships over to run on gas.
A first FSRU, the 125,000-cbm KARMOL LNGT Powership Africa (ex-Dwiputra, built 1994), arrived off Dakar in Senagal, West Africa 18 months ago but has yet to be put into action.
KARMOL is also continuing to convert a third LNG carrier, the 127,000-cbm LNG Vesta (built 1994), into an FSRU in Singapore.
Karpowership has also acquired a TotalEnergies LNG carrier, the 154,472-cbm LNG Unity (ex-Provalys, built 2006).
Officials from the Turkish specialist have recently spoken about supplying a powership to Europe to provide gas to the region over the coming winter period as countries try to replace supplies of Russian pipeline gas.
