The Company owns and operates two regasification vessels. While being fully capable of operating as standard LNG carriers, the vessels are fitted with onboard LNG regasification systems, allowing them to regasify and discharge natural gas under high pressure.
The onboard regasification of LNG offers the opportunity to deliver natural gas to new markets which do not have onshore terminals at their disposal. The lead time for a floating regas solution is shorter than for a land based terminal. While a land based terminal require space and access to harbours and traffic lanes, that may already be congested and provide an obstacle for the LNG carriers, an offshore based DWP can be located away from major shipping lanes and will only require a small area onshore for connection to the gas distribution network or the end user, or alternatively the regasification vessels can be moored to a separate existing jetty and receive the LNG through ship-to-ship transfer. Floating regasification solutions are also very flexible as the vessel can be relocated or used as a conventional LNG carrier and operate in any market.
The regasification vessels GDF Suez Neptune and GDF Suez Cape Ann were delivered in 2009 and 2010 for use in GDF Suez's LNG import terminal offshore Boston in the USA. In 2011 and 2012 four additional regasification vessels were ordered with delivery in 2014 and 2015. The first three new vessels are planned to be used for new floating LNG import terminals in Indonesia, Lithuania and Chile.