Qatar, which retained its position as the world’s top liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporter in 2019, also emerged as the single largest LNG exporter to the UK during the year. UK is the world’s 8th largest importer of liquefied natural gas.
A total of 65 Qatari cargoes delivered 6.7 million tonnes of LNG to the UK in 2019, according to Nakilat’s first half 2020 report. In 2019, UK received 14 million tonnes (31.2 billion cbm) of LNG, which is more than double from previous year (6.1 million tonnes in 2018).
There are 3 LNG terminals in UK, which are South Hook, Dragon and Isle of Grain. A joint-venture between Qatar Petroleum, ExxonMobil and Total, the South Hook LNG terminal celebrated its 10th operating anniversary in 2019. It has been receiving LNG from the Qatargas-2 project since opening in 2009.
The Nakilat first half report noted that two of Nakilat Q-FLex LNG carriers have marked their 100th LNG delivery milestone this year. Al Ghashamiya commemorated her 100th LNG delivery at Himeji LNG terminal in Japan on 6th February 2020 while Al Kharaitiyat crossed the milestone recently in June 2020. Both vessels are currently being managed by Nakilat Shipping Qatar Limited (NSQL).
Nakilat owned and managed LPG carrier Bu Sidra has recently achieved a milestone with the delivery of its first cargo to the Haldia Port, a major LPG import terminal in India. The latter is one of 14 LPG receiving terminals in India, a country which has 12 percent of the global LPG import market share. Chartered by Oriental Energy, LPG Bu Sidra achieved a LTI-free (lost time injury) record in 2019, and has maintained this track record since coming under NSQL management in 2012. Nakilat’s fleet of four very large gas carriers (VLGC) delivers to more than 30 terminals across the world, with 1,164,955 MT of gas shipped in 2019 alone.
On its fleet expansion, Nakilat said it has taken delivery of a newbuild LNG carrier, “Global Energy”, which will be commercially and technically managed in-house. Built by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME), this is the first of four LNG carrier newbuilds to be delivered to Global Shipping Co. Ltd., a joint venture of Nakilat (60 percent) and Maran Ventures Inc. (Maran Ventures) (40 percent).
Nakilat-Keppel Offshore & Marine (N-KOM) recorded a 10 percent increase in overall marine and offshore projects completed in 2019, as compared to the previous year. Similarly, a 13 percent increase in complex tanker repairs has also been recorded in 2019 from the year before, bearing testament to the growing trust in N-KOM’s reliability and quality of services by its customers.
