Ultra shallow draft small LNG carrier design unveiled

Propeller (top) and DP2 thruster (below) versions of tanker are being offered

NOVEMBER 1, 2016 — Philippines based infrastructure provider AG&P last week unveiled its design for the first ultra-shallow draft small LNG carrier work horse for Southeast Asia’s stranded power markets

The ultra-shallow draft 4,000 – 8,000 cu.m LNG carrier (LNGC) will be capable of accessing rivers and shallow harbors with a draft of only two meters.

It will serve as a work horse for near shore LNG milk-run deliveries to locations that have limited access including shallow rivers and restricted harbors with low water depth.

Conceived by AG&P, the first-of-its-kind vessel has a unique hull design that reduces the waterline entrance angle and vessel resistance in waves.

It can be ballasted in open water improving both stability and speed and does not need handling tugs. The vessel cargo capacity is easily scalable from 4000 – 8000 cu.m with flexibility to travel near shore or take on LNG cargo from a floating storage unit (FSU) anchored offshore.

It can navigate open seas as well as riverine waterways with a minimum speed requirement as low as eight knots.

Speaking at the fourth Annual Gas Asia Summit in Singapore, Mr. Derek Thomas, Head of AG&P’s Advanced Research Unit, said, “LNG can be break-bulked – breaking larger LNG cargoes into smaller shipments – and transported in small volumes over short distances using coastal tankers, specialized trucks and trains to a variety of customers. The availability of a smaller scale delivery network through break-building has enabled both distributed power generation and a variety of industrial applications in various manufacturing and processing facilities. Our new scalable LNGC is a plug-and-play customizable supply solution that requires lower capital cost making LNG more accessible and economically viable for small or developing LNG import markets.”

AG&P says it will finance and build the 4,000–8,000 cu.m LNGC in 16 months at its world-class manufacturing facility in the Philippines. The vessel will be available for sale or lease, making it immediately financially feasible for new developers of LNG-related projects.