Chiyoda's New Floating Regas/Power Unit Gets ABS OK

American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) said June 20 has granted in-principle approval to Japanese firm Chiyoda Corporation’s new design of a floating facility, combining both an LNG storage and regasification unit (FSRU) with a gas-fired power plant.

The conceptual design is based on existing LNG carriers which are converted into floating power plants with small (about 72 MW) to medium (about 400 MW) scale power generation capabilities.

“As the energy mix shifts and global demand for gas increases, concepts like this will reshape how energy is supplied,” said ABS vice president for Global Gas Solutions, Patrick Janssens. 

By supplying electricity directly to land via heavy duty electrical cable, LNG power generation facilities can reach remote areas including islands by eliminating infrastructures such as LNG receiving facilities and onshore power generation facilities, Chiyoda said. “By basing this concept on existing LNG carriers, we are able to reduce constructions costs and shorten delivery times,” Chiyoda’s project manager Toyomitsu Kanai said. 

Founded in 1862, New York-based ABS is a not-for-profit corporation that is one of the world’s leading ship classification organisations, while Chiyoda as a leading contractor says it has the number one share for construction of LNG receiving terminals in Japan and 40% of liquefaction projects worldwide. On May 31, Chiyoda signed an agreement with Qatar Petroleum (QP) to conduct a detailed study on boosting Qatar's LNG export capacity.

Shardul Sharma