Hong Kong LNG Terminal charters MOL’s FSRU Challenger

Japan’s shipping giant Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has entered into a long-term charter deal with Hong Kong LNG Terminal for a floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU).

MOL said that the world’s largest FSRU, the FSRU Challenger, would be used for the Hong Kong Offshore LNG Terminal Project and supply natural gas to Castle Peak Power Company and Hongkong Electric.

The company added that the contract also included jetty operation, maintenance, and port services.

The floating storage and regasification unit has an LNG storage capacity of 263,000 cubic meters and has re-shipment and gas transfer capabilities. The unit has a regas discharge capacity of 540 million cubic meters per day.

The FSRU was constructed at DSME in South Korea and is currently employed on a mid-term charter for a project in Turkey with Botas. It started operation in the Turkish port of Dörtyol earlier this year.

As for the Hong Kong Offshore LNG Terminal, it will be located at the southern waters of Hong Kong and to the east of the Soko Islands.

The FSRU will be delivered to Hong Kong to begin testing and commissioning when the project finishes construction, currently expected in 2021. In June 2018, MOL stated that it was in negotiations to provide the Challenger FSRU for the project.

At the time, MOL said that the FSRU would enter into service at the terminal around the end of 2020.

It is worth noting that MOL also entered into an agreement with Royal Vopak for this project. Royal Vopak, a tank storage company, will assist with jetty operation and maintenance services.