A second LNG carrier-to-floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) conversion for Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) and Karpowership joint venture KARMOL is being readied for deployment in Brazil.
TradeWinds has learned that the 127,452-cbm KARMOL LNGT Powership Asia (ex-Northwest Shearwater, built 1991) has been completed by Sembcorp Marine and will shortly start gas trials off Singapore.
The vessel is expected to head for Rio de Janeiro in Brazil to work in conjunction with an existing powership which will be stationed there.
On 25 October Karpowership was one of the parties which won contracts under Brazil’s emergency energy auction to provide reserve power from May 2022 to December 2025.
Turkish powership provider Karpowership offered a total capacity of 370MW which would be provided from two vessels delivering power to Rio de Janeiro state, on the country's southern coast.
It was a breakthrough deal for Karpowership which has not operated in South America before. The company has since spoken about its intention to expand its presence in the region.
The KARMOL LNGT Powership Asia was originally due to be deployed to work off Mozambique.
KARMOL has made slow progress on getting its first two FSRUs into operation and the original locations for both have changed.
The conversions of these first two LNG carriers was delayed by the pandemic but rising gas prices also set back electricity buyers' projects.
The jv’s first unit, the 125,000-cbm KARMOL LNGT Powership Africa (ex-Dwiputra, built 1994) was initially scheduled to be stationed off Mozambique to work alongside a powership.
The vessel finally arrived off Senagal in West Africa in June 2021 to supply regasified LNG to the 235-MW powership Karadeniz Powership Aysegul Sultan which is stationed off Dakar.
Sources said gassing up operations started on the FSRU in 2022 and a first cargo was expected to arrive this quarter.
But market players said the soaring prices for gas and LNG may delay this further.
Work is also underway on a third LNG carrier-to-FSRU conversion for KARMOL. The 127,000-cbm LNG Vesta (built 1994) will become the next regas unit for the partnership.
Currently, this vessel is due to go on station off Mozambique.
Karpowership, which teamed up with Qatari shipowner Nakilat on the use of FSRUs for LNG-to-power projects in October 2020, has also acquired a TotalEnergies LNG carrier, the 154,472-cbm LNG Unity (ex-Provalys, built 2006).
It is not yet clear if this vessel will become an FSRU conversion candidate or used as a trading vessel to supply its units.
