LNG Tankers May Be Converted To Floating Storage In India

A Japanese-Indian consortium is considering turning two LNG tankers into floating storage and regasification units to help meet growing demand in the South Asian economy, according to two people familiar with the matter.

The UMM BAB liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker and the BW INTEGRITY floating storage regasification unit (FSRU) during the ship to ship operation at PGP Consortium Ltd. LNG Terminal in Karachi, Pakistan, on Friday, June 24, 2022. This is the third time this month that Pakistan failed to complete an liquefied natural gas (LNG) tender for July, and the country’s inability to purchase fuel threatens to exacerbate electricity shortages just as hotter weather boosts air conditioning and power demand. Photographer: Asim Hafeez/Bloomberg

A consortium of shipping companies is considering converting two liquefied natural gas tankers into floating storage units to help meet rising demand for the fuel in India, according to two people familiar with the matter. 

Petronet LNG Ltd. currently uses the units, with a capacity of 138,000 cubic meters each, to import LNG from Qatar, but doesn’t plan to renew a lease beyond 2028.

The consortium — called India LNG Transport Co. — could put the vessels to use on India’s east coast after retrofitting them in South Korea, said the people, who asked not to be named as they are not authorized to speak with the media.

India LNG Transport is a collaboration between state-owned Shipping Corp of India Ltd. and Japan-based Mitsui OSK Lines Ltd., Nippon Yusen KK and Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha Ltd. The companies didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

India, currently the world’s fourth-largest LNG buyer, is investing heavily in import infrastructure to help meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s target for gas to reach 15% of the energy mix by 2030, from less than 7% now. 

Imports could rise to 150 million tons by 2030, a seven-fold increase from 2023, Petronet’s Chief Executive Officer Akshay Kumar Singh said in February.

(Adds attempts to reach companies for comment in fourth paragraph)

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