LNG

French liquefied natural gas storage technology firm Gaztranzport and Technigaz (GTT) is expanding business in China and has received an order from its Chinese shipyard partner Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding for the tank design of a new LNG carrier.

The order was made on behalf of the leasing unit of China State Shipbuilding Corp. (CSSC) for a vessel with capacity of 174,000 cubic metres capacity.

“As part of this order, GTT will design the tanks of the vessel, which will be fitted with the GTT No. 96 L03-plus membrane containment system,” said GTT.

The newbuild carrier is scheduled for delivery in the first quarter of 2024.

GTT received a previous order in September 2021 for a first storage system design for an LNG carrier from China's Jiangnan Shipyard in Shanghai.

The order was for the cargo-handling storage system for an LNG carrier being built for Chinese energy company, the Jovo Group.

The Jovo vessel is a mid-sized LNG carrier to be added to the company's fleet.

GTT said it would design the tanks with a cargo capacity 79,800 cubic metres.

That mid-sized order is for a customized “China Max” carrier and is a key part of Jovo’s sourcing strategy that paves the way for future shipping developments.

The carrier would be fitted with the GTT’s Mark III Flex membrane containment system and would be the first built in China with the Mark III technology series.

The vessel is scheduled to be delivered to the Jovo Group in the fourth quarter of 2023.

Gaztransport and Technigaz, the French technology and engineering company for LNG storage, has signed an additional cooperation agreement related to the Tianjin Nangang LNG import terminal currently being developed in northeast China.

GTT and the developer, Beijing Gas Group, said their accord is for collaboration for the phase II and phase III parts of the terminal construction beyond phase 1 covered by the current agreement.

The second and third phases of the Tianjin Nangang construction will include building six additional storage tanks, each of 220,000 cubic metres capacity.

This agreement was signed at a ceremony held at the French Embassy in Beijing in the presence of French Ambassador Laurent Bili, Chairman of Beijing Enterprises Group Tian Zhenqing and Li Yalan, Chairwoman of the board of Beijing Gas, along with Adnan Ezzarhouni, General Manager of GTT in China.

“I am convinced that GTT, a company of excellence in the field of natural gas, has a great future in China, which has resolutely embarked on the path of energy transition,” state French Ambassador Bili.

The first firm agreement for Tianjin Nangang LNG followed a November 2019 accord between GTT and Beijing Gas on the occasion of the presidential visit to China of French President Emmanuel Macron for talks with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.

GTT subsequently received an order in June 2020 for the design of two 220,000 cubic metres capacity membrane tanks.

Built as part of the Tianjin Nangang project, located east of the capital Beijing, these two tanks when completed will be the largest in China.

“In this new agreement, GTT will also support Beijing Gas in upgrading the National Standards of LNG onshore tanks,” explained GTT.

Beijing Gas Chairwoman Li Yalan said the Tianjin Nangang LNG project was progressing smoothly.

“I hope Beijing Gas and GTT continue to strengthen their cooperation and jointly promote the adoption of the lower carbon footprint membrane full containment technology among Chinese gas companies,” added Li.

The Tianjin Nangang terminal will be the third serving the northeast Chinese port supplying the gas needs of Beijing.

The existing facilities currently include the Tianjin North onshore terminal operated by China Petroleum and Chemical Corp. (Sinopec) and a separate floating terminal provided by Norway’s Höegh LNG in the form of a floating storage and regasification unit on long-term charter to China National Offshore Oil Corp. (CNOOC).

“We are very pleased to extend our partnership with Beijing Gas, proof that the membrane full containment technology meets expectations in terms of technological performance, cost competitiveness and level of safety,” stated Philippe Berterottière, Chairman and Chief Executive of GTT.