Bintulu Port the first LNG ISO tank export hub
With the operation, Bintulu Port will be the first port operator in Malaysia and the Asean region to export LNG through ISO tanks in a large scale. BPHB
BINTULU: Bintulu Port Sdn Bhd (BPSB) marks the full commencement of its LNG ISO tanks handling operations with the maiden call of Tiger Clean Energy Ltd’s (TCEL) 169 metres length overall vessel, Fan Zhou 6 to Bintulu International Container Terminal (BICT) earlier this week.
The arrival of the vessel is in line with TCEL’s recent deal with Petronas as its LNG delivery partner to China for distribution to markets in China, including those in remote areas, using TCEL’s ISO tanks as well as the agreement with BPSB for the construction of an LNG ISO tank filling facility on the port premises.
Group corporate planning and development of Bintulu Port Holdings Bhd (BPHB) in a statement yesterday said with an average of 26 moves per hour, the 200 units container ISO tanks were successfully discharged and unloaded within six hours of operations.
Prior to this, it said there was an earlier batch of 20 units ISO tanks which BPSB handled in December 2020 on board a conventional container vessel.
The ISO tanks will then be filled with LNG at the LNG ISO tank filling facility located within the port premises.
Once completed, the container ISO tanks containing LNG will be transported to BPSB for export.
“With the operation, Bintulu Port will be the first port operator in Malaysia and the Asean region to export LNG through ISO tanks in a large scale.
“The concept of exporting LNG through ISO tanks link both LNG plants and end-users on virtual pipelines by utilising existing facilities such as container terminals which are easily available globally compared to conventional LNG receiving terminal,” the statement said.
BPHB Group chief executive officer Datuk Mohammed Medan Abdullah welcomes the arrival of the ISO tanks to Bintulu Port, signifying a successful working collaboration with all parties especially Petronas, TCEL and Bintulu Port which dates back to as early as 2017 and through the signing of an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between BPSB and TCEL on January, 21, 2019.
“With ever growing demand for LNG as an alternative and renewable source of energy and the absence of such hub in the world, Bintulu Port is leveraging on its first mover advantage of being adjacent to an existing LNG terminal and make the leap now by becoming an enabler to shift the LNG landscape,” BPHB said.
The Group is confident that the diligent efforts made by all parties over the years will lead to the establishment of Bintulu as a significant LNG ISO tank hub in the Asean region.