Oceanic Breeze, a 155,300-m3 Moss LNG carrier, made its maiden voyage carrying LNG from the Ichthys LNG Project in Darwin, Australia to Inpex Corporation’s Naoetsu LNG Terminal in Niigata, Japan on 13 February.
Jointly owned by Japan’s K Line and Inpex Shipping Co, a fully owned subsidiary of Inpex, Oceanic Breeze operates a dedicated service that will transport 0.9 mta from Ichthys.
Built by Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, the LNGC has ultra-steam propulsion and a Sayaendo continuous cover, concealing the spherical containment tanks to reduce weight and air resistance, which in turn cuts the vessel’s fuel consumption.
MHI also built Oceanic Breeze’s sister vessel, tri-fuel diesel-electric 182,000-m3 Pacific Breeze, the world’s largest Moss LNGC.
With offshore production facilities located about 200 km off the coast of Western Australia, Ichthys is expected to operate for 40 years, providing a major new source of LNG to Japan. About 70% of the 8.9 mta of LNG produced by Ichthys will be supplied to Japanese customers.
Besides LNG, Ichthys will produce 1.65 mta of LPG and 100,000 barrels of condensate per day at its peak. Inpex controls a major stake in Ichthys. Other shareholders include Total, CPC Corporation, Taiwan and Japanese utilities Tokyo Gas, Osaka Gas, Kansai Electric Power, JERA and Toho Gas.
In October 2018, the first LNG cargo from Ichthys was carried by Pacific Breeze and the first LPG cargo was transported by the VLGC Grace River, both owned by K Line. Condensate products will be carried by Aframax tankers operated by K Line’s subsidiary in Singapore. (February 15, 2019)
AUSTRALIA - JAPAN - LNG - SUPPLIES - IMPORTS - EXPORTS