The Port of Gladstone recently welcomed its 100th LNG carrier, marking a significant milestone for GPC’s new export industry.
The Maran Gas Mystras, which berthed at the Queensland Curtis LNG (QCLNG) facility on Wednesday 6th January 2015, marked the 100th LNG vessel arrival into a berth in the Port of Gladstone.
The first LNG vessel to enter the Port, Methane Rita Andrea, berthed at the QCLNG facility on Friday 26th December 2014, with the first shipment of LNG exported on Monday 5th January 2015.
With Australia Pacific LNG having exported its first shipment last week, all three LNG facilities on Curtis Island are now operational.
The three plants are expected to be in full operation by mid-2016, with the majority of exports under long-term supply contracts to China, Japan, South Korea and Malaysia.
The LNG operations will add over 25 million tonnes of trade through the Port of Gladstone each year, positioning Gladstone as the second largest concentrated location in the world for LNG production.
The Curtis Island LNG export hub is not only the first LNG export hub on the east coast of Australia, it is also the first in the world to be based on coal seam gas. The gas is sourced from the extensive coal deposits of Central and South-West Queensland.
The safe arrival and departure of now over 100 vessels is the culmination of GPC’s Western Basin project completed in September 2013, which successfully increased port access by deepening, widening and creating new shipping channels with depths of up to 13 metres to allow LNG carriers to enter and exit the Western Basin.
GPC wishes to acknowledge the efforts of all involved in bringing this exciting new export industry to Gladstone.
Source & Image Credit: Port of Gladstone
