Maharashtra gets India's first floating LNG storage and regasification unit

The LNG terminal is located at JSW Jaigarh Port in Ratnagiri district. The port is the first deep water, 24x7 operational private port in Maharashtra

India’s first Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU) has arrived at H-Energy’s Jaigarh Terminal in Maharashtra. A statement from H-Energy said the FSRU Höegh Giant, which sailed from Keppel Shipyard, Singapore, was berthed at Jaigarh terminal in Maharashtra on Monday.

This will also be the first year-round Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminal in Maharashtra, the statement added. The LNG terminal is located at JSW Jaigarh Port in the Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra, on the west coast of India. The port is the first deep water, 24x7 operational private port in Maharashtra.

"The 2017-built Höegh Giant has storage capacity of 170,000 cubic metres and installed regasification capacity of 750 million cubic feet per day (equivalent to about six million tonnes a year). H-Energy has chartered the FSRU for a 10 year period," the statement said.

"Höegh Giant will deliver regasified LNG to the 56-km long Jaigarh-Dabhol natural gas pipeline, connecting the LNG terminal to the national gas grid. The facility will also deliver LNG through truck loading facilities for onshore distribution, the facility is also capable to reload LNG onto small-scale LNG vessels for bunkering services," it added.

H-Energy said that it also intends to develop small-scale LNG market in the region, using the FSRU for storage and reloading LNG onto smaller vessels.

Commenting on the development, Darshan Hiranandani, CEO, H-Energy said “FSRU based LNG Terminals aim at providing the ability to enhance the pace of natural gas import capability in an environment friendly and efficient manner”.

With the berthing of the FSRU Höegh Giant, the LNG regasification terminal will be ready to start testing and commissioning activities soon, he said.