Grain LNG to offer UK’s first ship reload service
National Grid’s Liquefied Natural Gas facility at the Isle of Grain is to offer a reload service to market, the first time such a service has been offered in the UK.
‘Grain is a world class LNG facility, welcoming vessels from around the world. This new reloading service facilitates our break bulk capability and compliments our cooling, road tankering and regasification services, giving our customers the flexibility they need.’
Simon Culkin, Terminal Manager, for Grain LNG
Grain can import 15 million tonnes of gas each year and is the largest importation facility in Europe and the 8th largest in the world, with four of the largest above ground tanks in the world – each the size of the Royal Albert Hall and greater than the volume of 2,100 London buses.
Grain LNG is the largest importation terminal in Europe and eighth largest in the world in terms of tank capacity, something which provides its existing customer base of six major multinational organisations with a huge amount of flexibility to manage importation, storage, regasification and re-export services.
With the introduction of more stringent European emission regulations for the marine sector, covering the North Sea, Baltic Sea and English Channel Emission Control Area from 2015, use of LNG as a marine fuel is predicted to grow substantially. The environmental benefits of using LNG as a fuel include emission reductions in carbon dioxide of up to 25%, nitrogen oxide by up to 85% and sulphur and particulates to almost zero, as well as lowering noise pollution.
Grain LNG has also recently launched an Open Season process to gauge market interest for Small Scale Marine Reloading services and subject to approvals, the new service could be available from late 2016.
