An LNG carrier has berthed at US producer Venture Global LNG’s second and under-commissioning liquefaction plant Plaquemines LNG, indicating it is likely close to starting exports with a first cargo.

Kpler data shows one of the US company’s own vessels, the 174,000-cbm LNG carrier Venture Bayou (built 2024), arrived in ballast alongside the facility in Louisiana on 18 November.

On Tuesday, it was shown with cargo on board, suggesting it had loaded.

TradeWinds reported in August that a first cooldown cargo had arrived at the LNG facility on board the 174,000-cbm Qogir (built 2020) with a shipment from Norway’s Snohvit LNG plant.

The US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) gave Venture Global permission to introduce natural gas into its Plaquemines plant early in November.

The start-up of exports from Plaquemines is significant, in that it will propel Venture Global into the position of the US producer with the second-largest liquefaction capacity — at least 32 mtpa — after Cheniere Energy.

Venture Global also operates the 12-mtpa Calcasieu Pass LNG project, which started exports in January 2022.

Plaquemines is the company’s second LNG facility. The company is developing the 20-mtpa project in two phases, kicking off with this first 13.3-mtpa stage.

The Arlington, Virginia-based company, which controls a fleet of nine LNG carriers, is widely tipped to file shortly for an IPO that could raise $3bn, according to Bloomberg.

But Venture Global has angered its offtakers for Calcasieu Pass after it refused to start supplying shipments under their sale-and-purchase agreements until the facility achieves what it deems are commercial operations, trading its LNG spot despite having started up nearly two years earlier.

Several have been pursuing legal action.

Company officials at the LNG producer have indicated a similar approach to exports for Plaquemines.

The FERC has also approved Venture Global’s third liquefaction project, the nearly 20-mtpa CP2 LNG in Louisiana, which is targeted for start-up in 2026.