Afcons eyes bigger role in LNG terminals

Afcons Infrastructure Limited, having completed the EPC (engineering procurement and construction) work on the Kochi LNG terminal, is now looking for more such projects in this space.

"This is definitely one of our preferred areas of operation as LNG has a global scope," said K Subrahmanian, vice chairman and managing director. The company had built a receiving station (LNG jetty), and storage (huge tanks) and re-gasification facilities for various terminals in India. Of the seven operating LNG terminals in India, it had constructed four.

Afcons was the only Indian company at Kochi involved in the construction of the terminal facility, besides CTCI Corporation from Taiwan and IHI of Japan.

At Kochi, the company did shore protection and constructed tanks for IHI, Japan. It also constructed the 380-metre long marine jetty.

Subrahmanian said since LNG was a cleaner source of energy, the government was trying to double LNG consumption and it would require construction of more terminals.

LNG terminals are coming up at Gangavaram port in Andhra Pradesh, and Ennore port in Tamil Nadu in South India. The Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation is planning one and Afcons flagship company, Shapoorji Pallonji, is planning to set up a terminal at Chhara port in Gujarat.