First Gen taps Svitzer for LNG project
BY LENIE LECTURA – JUNE 8, 2021
from Business Mirror
File photo: First Gen’s natural gas power plants in Batangas
First Gen Corp. has tapped an affiliate of the Maersk Group to tow its floating storage regasification unit (FSRU) to its Clean Energy Complex in Batangas City.
FGEN LNG Corp., a subsidiary of First Gen, said it has recently executed a 10-year Time Charter Party with global towage service provider Svitzer for the provision of towage and other vessel support services requirements of its Interim Offshore LNG Terminal project.
Svitzer will provide 4 new build 75-tons bollard pill tug vessels with Class Notation under Lloyd’s Register that will assist the FSRU for the project and liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers that will call at FSRU for berthing, un-berthing, navigation assistance, and provide other services including fire-fighting, pollution control, port and vessel security services, pilot and boarding party transfer, and fender management.
Svitzer is equipped to provide towage and marine services to FGEN LNG, and well-positioned to help minimize project risks. As part of the Maersk Group, which is based in Denmark, Svitzer offers FGEN LNG access to a suite of competencies across the offshore support services and terminal towage sectors.
FGEN LNG’s project will serve the natural gas requirement of existing and future gas-fired power plants of third parties and FGEN affiliates as early as the third quarter of 2022.
“FGEN LNG believes the project as a whole will play a critical role in ensuring the energy security of the Luzon grid and the Philippines, particularly as the Malampaya gas resource is expected to be less reliable in producing and providing sufficient fuel supply for the country’s existing gas-fired power plants, and even less so for additional gas plants,” it said, adding that the entry of LNG will encourage new power plant developments, as well as industrial and transport industries, to consider it as a replacement to more costly and polluting fuels.
