A Shell-chartered LNG carrier is set to arrive at the 14mn t/yr (1.87Bcf/d) LNG Canada export terminal in British Columbia late Friday or early Saturday as the facility prepares to load its first cargo.
The BC Coast Pilots, responsible for guiding large vessels in and out of the province's ports, received a dispatch to board the 173,400m³ Gaslog Glasgow late 27 June, the pilotage firm told Argus. Two pilots will board the ship near Prince Rupert, and at least one will remain aboard for the voyage to LNG Canada in Kitimat.
It will take about nine hours for the vessel to reach the facility from the pilot boarding station, assuming an average speed of 12.5 knots.
The Shell-controlled LNG carrier began transiting inbound toward the terminal on 27 June after holding offshore British Columbia since 22 June, according to ship-tracking data from Kpler.
A spokesman from LNG Canada did not respond to a request for comment detailing when the first cargo will load or depart the terminal.
The plant began cooling the first of its two liquefaction trains on 16 June and produced its first LNG on 22 June.
Shell will load the terminal's first cargo because shipments will be loaded in order of equity participation in the project, according to market participants.
LNG carriers chartered by two other project stakeholders have declared for arrival at LNG Canada, Kpler data show. The 174,000m³ Puteri Sejinjang, chartered by Malaysian state-owned firm Petronas, and the 174,000m³ Diamond Gas Crystal, chartered by Japanese firm Mitsubishi, have declared arrival on 6 July and 14 August, respectively.
