Houston-based Pilot LNG has filed all relevant documentation with the United States Coast Guard (USCG) to initiate the waterway suitability assessment (WSA) process for its proposed Galveston LNG bunker port (GLBP) project.
Pilot LNG said that this important process, conducted by USCG, will include a comprehensive review of all relevant safety and security impacts related to maritime traffic as a result of the addition of the bunker port to ensure.
This will also and confirm the suitability of the Galveston Bay region, incorporating the Galveston, Houston, and Texas City shipping channels for the project.
On 5 December 2020, AcuTech Consulting Group, acting on behalf of the GLBP project, submitted a letter of intent (LOI) and preliminary WSA report to USCG to initiate its evaluation.
The USCG will consider the suitability of the region to accommodate the type and frequency of LNG marine traffic associated with the GLBP project in consultation with a variety of state and local port stakeholders and incorporating analysis of all current and reasonably anticipated marine traffic in the region.
The USCG analysis will incorporate maritime traffic directly related to Pilot LNG’s facility including expected small scale LNG barge traffic in addition to other existing and anticipated marine traffic transiting through the channels such as container ships, cruise liners, bulk carriers, chemical carriers, Ro-Ro’s, pure car carriers, ferries, fishing vessels, recreational vessels, towing vessels, non-piloted barges, among others, to ensure the waterway can safely manage current and anticipated incremental traffic from the GLBP facility.
According to Pilot LNG, the submission of the LOI and preliminary WSA to the USCG marks another positive milestone in the project development.
With the regulatory application for the facility submitted to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in July 2020, the project continues to advance towards full approval and final investment decision for the development of the GLBP project on Pelican Island by late 2021 or early 2022.
It is worth reminding that Pilot LNG executed heads of agreement with GAC Bunker Fuels in October for the supply of LNG as a marine fuel.
The liquefied natural gas will be supplied from the Galveston bunker port terminal project, which will be the first dedicated LNG bunker terminal in the region.