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UK’s Grain LNG terminal in bunkering plans

UK’s Grain LNG terminal in bunkering plans
The largest LNG terminal in Europe is moving ahead with plans to supply LNG for bunkering, delegates heard at the annual British Ports Association conference.

Simon Culkin, importation terminal manager at the Grain LNG terminal, said there is a definite opportunity that oversupply of LNG into the market could lead to more LNG coming into Europe. “We think the UK will set the floor price for LNG and could be selling at the lowest price worldwide to bunker ships.”

The terminal, in the southeast of England on the Medway, is set up to accommodate the Q-Max gas carriers. It is working on various options, including using ISO containers which could be sent out by road and rail to ports. Some LNG is already moved that way to provide domestic fuel for villages in Scotland.

Another option would be building a small-scale marine facility to load bunker vessels. “We could possibly build a new jetty for bunker vessels, or use a barge with topwork on it and serve small vessels from there.”

The aim is to have the necessary infrastructure in place by the third quarter of 2019, he said. “It is a case of getting the infrastructure in and hoping the market picks up afterwards. We are building this at risk, which is really unusual for National Grid – but we do think there is a market. We think LNG is right environmentally and the way forward.”