<article><p class="lead">The 170,000m³ <i>Hoegh Esperanza</i> floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) has been reinstalled at the Tianjin LNG terminal, having operated as an LNG carrier through last summer.</p><p>The vessel — owned by Norwegian shipowner Hoegh LNG — returned to the terminal on 14 November, and has been regasifying LNG since 18 November. </p><p>The 159,800m³ <i>Woodside Goode</i> delivered a cargo to the facility on 16 November from the Chevron-operated 8.9mn t/yr Wheatstone liquefaction plant in Australia, with the 174,000m³ <i>Flex Courageous</i> delivering a second Australian cargo, from the Shell-operated 8.5mn t/yr QC Curtis Island facility, to the FSRU yesterday. </p><p>Chinese state-owned firm CNOOC holds a three-year charter on the <i>Hoegh Esperanza</i>, which is China's only FSRU. The vessel is in the second year of this charter, with an option to extend the agreement by one year, and <a href="https://direct.argusmedia.com/newsandanalysis/article/1787242">replaced</a> the 145,000m³ <i>GDF Suez Cape Ann</i> — also owned by Hoegh LNG — in November 2018, after its predecessor left Tianjin at the end of March the same year. </p><p>The <i>Hoegh Esperanza</i> has an import capacity of around 6mn t/yr, but only operates as an FSRU during periods of high demand, with CNOOC using the vessel as a carrier during summer. </p><p><i>By Samuel Good</i></p></article>
