Excelerate, Equinor Perform First STS LNG Transfer

The first ever ship-to-ship (STS) transfer of liquefied natural gas (LNG) was completed in The Bahamas by Excelerate Energy and Equinor Energy AS.

According to Excelerate, which provides transportation and marketing of LNG, its floating storage regasification unit (FSRU) Exemplar and Equinor’s LNG carrier Arctic Voyager were used for the LNG transfer.

"A full LNG cargo was transferred using the double-banked LNG transfer system while moored at Equinor’s South Riding Point storage and transshipment terminal which is strategically located for storage and transshipment of crude, products and LNG," it said.

“Excelerate conducted the industry’s first commercial STS transfer of LNG in 2007, and since then, STS transfers have been completed and proven safe in a wide range of environments, now including The Bahamas,” stated Excelerate’s Chief Commercial Officer Daniel Bustos. “This new STS location allows us to provide additional commercial flexibility to our customers and respond to prompt market needs in a safe and reliable manner.”

Excelerate recently completed its 1500th commercial STS transfer on February 3, 2019, at the Engro Elengy Terminal in Port Qasim, Pakistan. To date, Excelerate has successfully transferred over 170,900,000 cubic meters of LNG using its STS protocol – of the 1500 operations, over 1300 have been with third-party vessels.