Singapore Opens LNG Truck Loading Facility

Singapore LNG Corporation and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) April 12 jointly launched nation’s first LNG truck loading facility at the SLNG terminal. This follows the memorandum of understanding signed between the two parties at the Singapore International Bunkering Conference and Exhibition (Sibcon) 2016 to collaborate on the construction of this facility.

SLNG terminal (Credit: SLNG)

The single-bay facility is an important first step towards developing the LNG trucking business in Singapore, which also helps to facilitate truck-to-ship LNG bunkering, SLNG said April 13. The facility allows small quantities of LNG to be transported overland to almost any location where required, such as industrial plants not connected to the gas pipeline network, and locations in the port from where LNG may be delivered to ships as a bunker fuel. 

SLNG said this will kick-start the development of LNG trucking and LNG bunkering in Singapore. “While it is still too early to tell how fast or how far these businesses will grow, the prospects look good, particularly for LNG bunkering. As the demand grows and there is a viable business case, the SLNG Terminal’s design masterplan provides for at least another four truck loading bays to be built,” SLNG CEO John Ng said.

Singapore is trying to present itself as an Asian LNG hub. Earlier this month, Total Marine Fuels Global Solutions and Pavilion Gas signed a MoU on LNG bunkering co-operation in Singapore. It follows a similar agreement between Pavilion and ExxonMobil last year.

Also last year a Singapore bunkering joint venture owned 50-50 by Shell and Keppel Corporation signed up its first customers

Shardul Sharma