Pilot LNG of US awards Galveston LNG bunker port engineering contract for infrastructure to WF Baird firm
US company Pilot LNG, the developer of the Galveston LNG Bunker Port (GLBP) project in Texas, awarded the front-end engineering and design contract for marine infrastructure to W.F. Baird Associates.
“It was imperative that the company selected to carry out the FEED works for the Galveston LNG Bunker Port has an excellent track record of successfully executing marine terminal projects,” said Pilot Chief Executive Jonathan Cook.
“Our selection of Baird is in recognition of their unparalleled expertise and commitment to engineering and designing safe, reliable and efficient projects and we are happy to continue to work with Baird as a preferred partner in GLBP,” added Cook.
Pilot has already filed regulatory applications with the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and other relevant regulatory agencies, possibly paving the way for a final investment decision in 2022.
According to the company, the main LNG storage facilities are expected to be located on Pelican Island in Galveston County in Texas.
Regulations
As international regulators tighten emissions standards, the maritime industry is increasingly turning towards LNG as the marine fuel of choice due to its significantly lower emissions profile and cost competitiveness.
Analysts said the Galveston Bay area was an ideal location to add LNG bunkering infrastructure.
It has more than 10,500 deep-water vessel visits per annum and over 133,000 tug/tow movements on the Houston Ship Channel, as well as being the nation’s fourth busiest cruise terminal.
“To further mitigate operational impacts, Pilot has chosen to utilize electric drives powered by electricity sourced 100 percent from Texas renewable energy, eliminating virtually all operating emissions related to the facility and likely making the GLBP project one of the greenest facilities of its type anywhere in the world,” explained Pilot LNG.
Baird will provide a variety of services to Pilot LNG, including design of marine structures, metocean modelling including storm surge and tidal currents, dredging design and dredged material placement analysis.
Pilot LNG said that Baird’s Houston office would lead the assessment with support from the company’s other North American and international offices.
“The GLBP project will provide one of the US’s largest industrial port complexes, comprising the ports of Houston, Galveston, and Texas City, with the infrastructure needed to supply clean fuel to the growing global LNG bunker market,” added Pilot LNG.
