Read on the application
GAIL, the country’s largest gas company, has started ship-to-ship transfer of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to reduce shipping costs and carbon emissions. A public sector company is taking unique steps to boost business and this is a part of it. Company officials gave this information.
GAIL has signed an agreement with the US to order 58 lakh tonnes of LNG per annum. The company brings this quantity to India through LNG ships. A vessel typically covers a distance of about 19,554 nautical miles round trip to transport LNG to India from the Sabine Pass in the US via the Suez Canal and Gibraltar. The journey takes approximately 54 days and emits approximately 15,600 tons of carbon.
Emissions are usually controlled by using the latest technology or by changing the destination of the cargo. GAIL has taken a unique step to reduce carbon emissions. Under this arrangement, a sea route convenient to both sides is adopted.
Also Read: GAIL’s profit is Rs. Over 1400 crore, 14% decline in revenue, double rating upgrade drives stock to new highs.
Officials said the company’s recently chartered vessel, Castillo de Santisteban, ‘loaded’ a shipload of LNG from the US, but in between, it transferred the cargo to another Qatar Gas-chartered vessel, Al Gharrafah. The mid-sea transfer of LNG from one ship to another is a world first.
“This is the first transfer of LNG in the world between a large conventional LNG ship and a Q-flex LNG ship,” an official said. The Qatargas vessel proceeded to Dahej, Gujarat to offload the cargo. It was originally planned to land by Gail’s ship. His ship returned from Gibraltar to the next port of loading.
Half the travel time
This has resulted in a reduction of about 8,736 nautical miles, officials said. This is equivalent to 7,000 tonnes of carbon emissions. In addition, it resulted in the reduction of ship journeys from 54 days to about 27 days for GAIL’s chartered vessels. “Gail has made a profit of over $1 million from this move,” an official said.