An LNG carrier supplied by Saudi Aramco will be sent back without unloading its cargo after failing to meet technical compatibility and ship-to-ship (STS) transfer requirements with Bangladesh’s floating LNG terminal.
Petrobangla General Manager (LNG) Deen Mohammad confirmed the decision to TIMES of Bangladesh, saying adverse weather was one of the factors delaying the operation.
The Liberian-flagged LNG carrier Alhamra, carrying around 61,000 tonnes of LNG supplied by Saudi Aramco, arrived off Maheshkhali in Cox’s Bazar around midnight on 11 August. The vessel was scheduled to deliver the cargo to the Summit LNG terminal.
However, adverse weather conditions initially prevented unloading. Later, technical and safety-related complications surrounding the STS operation further complicated the process.
“Proper matching or compatibility of the technical components of the two ships is very important. It is a highly sensitive process. Since the required conditions and compatibility for the planned STS transfer with our FSRU were not met, the cargo could not be unloaded. Therefore, the decision was taken to send the ship back,” Deen Mohammad said.
He clarified that the development was not related to LNG quality.
“This is not a quality crisis. It is a matter of technical compatibility between different components of the two vessels,” he said.
According to Petrobangla officials, the decision to send back the vessel was taken with the highest priority given to operational and technical safety. The supplier has agreed to arrange another LNG cargo on an alternative vessel to replace the shipment.
Officials said the replacement cargo is expected to arrive soon, while LNG supplies from other scheduled shipments will continue.
Meanwhile, the country’s LNG supply has yet to return to normal amid the cargo shortage. On 17 August, the two floating LNG terminals supplied a combined 650 million cubic feet of gas per day, compared with around 1,000 million cubic feet during normal operations.
The Summit terminal was supplying around 550 million cubic feet per day, while the Excelerate Energy terminal was supplying about 100 million cubic feet due to a shortage of LNG cargo.
Deputy General Manager (LNG) of the Rupantarita Prakritik Gas Company Limited Mohammad Nasir Uddin confirmed the figures.
“Currently, around 550 million cubic feet is being supplied from the Summit terminal and 100 million cubic feet from the Excelerate Energy terminal,” he said.
Asked about the low supply from the Excelerate Energy terminal, Nasir Uddin said the terminal currently had no LNG cargo available.
“When the LNG cargo arrives in the next few days, it will be unloaded at the Excelerate terminal. Supplies from the terminal will then be increased,” he said.
Regarding the Alhamra, Nasir Uddin said the cargo was originally scheduled for the Summit terminal. As the shipment could not be unloaded, an alternative cargo had been arranged for the terminal.
“I hope all the crises will be resolved within a few days and LNG supply will return to normal,” he said.
