Malta has received its first ever cargo of liquefied natural gas (LNG) on Wednesday at the Delimara terminal and power station.
The Shell-managed 136,600-cbm LNG carrier Galea docked beside the floating storage unit (FSU) Armada LNG Mediterrana in the Marsaxlokk Bay. The FSU is moored at the Delimara terminal jetty.
The Armada LNG Mediterrana arrived in Malta in October last year. Built under a $300 million contract Bumi Armada won from ElectroGas in 2015, the FSU is a conversion of MOL’s 125,000-cbm MOSS LNG carrier Wakabu Maru.
The arrival of the first LNG cargo is a part of the commissioning process of the Armada LNG Mediterrana and the new power station, built by ElectroGas.
The FSU will deliver LNG to the onshore regasification plant feeding natural gas to the 200 MW power station during the entire project life of 18 years.
Speaking at a press conference marking the arrival of the first LNG cargo, Maltese Minister Konrad Mizzi said the power station is expected to be operational in the next few weeks.
Mizzi, who was accompanied by EU commissioner for energy Maros Sefkovic and the team from ElectroGas, said that this was a historical day for Malta.
“In 2013, we set a vision to transform the energy sector here in Malta… to reduce power tariffs, to ensure we have a sustainable source of supply… and to reduce emissions.”
“I am proud to say that Malta is now in the position to switch to gas” having been previously completely dependent on heavy fuel oil, Mizzi said.
LNG World News Staff