Eni said on Friday that the hull launch took place at Samsung Heavy’s Geoje yard in South Korea.
The ceremony was also attended by Eni’s project partners China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), ENH, Kogas, and XRG.
The Italian company has a 50 percent operating stake in the JV.
CNPC holds 20 percent, Kogas 10 percent, ENH 10 percent, and Adnoc’s XRG 10 percent.
Second FLNG in Mozambique
According to Eni, the hull launch is “fully in line” with the project schedule.
Coral North will be the second floating LNG facility to be deployed in the Rovuma Basin waters, offshore Cabo Delgado, north of Mozambique, and will bring to production the gas from the northern part of Coral gas reservoir.
Building on the knowledge and experience gained since Coral South began production in 2022, Coral North is designed to deliver “enhanced efficiency and optimized performances, reducing costs and minimizing execution risks with the goal of completing the project on schedule by 2028,” Eni said.
The FLNG measures 432 meters in length and 66 meters in width, making it large enough to line up four soccer fields end to end. Its launch weight alone reaches 123,000 tons, Samsung Heavy said in a separate statement.
With a 3.6 mtpa liquefaction capacity, Coral North will double Mozambique’s total LNG output to 7 mtpa.
Eni said this milestone will position the country as Africa’s third-largest LNG producer and exporter, strengthening its role as a key player in the global energy market.
Last year, Eni and its partners took a final investment decision on the second FLNG project in Mozambique.
Reports indicate the project is valued at approximately $7.2 billion.
The FLNG will be a replica of Coral South, which has proven to be effective for deepwater production and has exported over 100 LNG shipments since 2022.
In addition to Samsung Heavy, France-based LNG engineering giant Technip Energies and Japan’s JGC are working on the project.
