“Protected industrial action has ceased at the Ichthys LNG facilities and we are pleased to confirm cargo loading has recommenced,” Inpex senior vice president corporate, Bill Townsend, told LNG Prime in emailed comments on Wednesday.
“Inpex remains focused on maintaining safe operations at Ichthys LNG – and importantly, ensuring reliable energy supply to the Northern Territory and our key trading partners in the Indo-Pacific region amid ongoing global market disruption,” Townsend said.
The company announced on Tuesday that it expects the ongoing protected industrial action to disrupt production at both onshore and offshore Ichthys LNG facilities after Australia’s national workplace relations tribunal denied a request by Inpex to stop the action.
Inpex also said that it has prepared an updated offer as part of the bargaining process for a new enterprise agreement.
“At 06:00 this morning, over 400 Offshore Alliance, AWU, and ETU members endorsed the settlement of our Inpex bargaining campaign,” the Offshore Alliance, which includes the Maritime Union of Australia and Australian Workers’ Union, said in a social media post.
“Through the unbending collective struggle of our 430+ Inpex members, we have now secured the best EBA in the oil and gas industry,” it said.
“This dispute cost Inpex 1 train (which was shut down at ILNG yesterday), 2 condensate tankers, and an LNG carrier. And about $200 million in lost production,” the Offshore Alliance claims.
Ichthys LNG
Last year, Ichthys LNG accounted for 8 percent of both Japan and Taiwan’s respective LNG import volumes, delivered via long-term sales and purchase agreements, according to Inpex.
The facility shipped 112 LNG cargoes in 2025. It shipped 43 LNG cargoes in the first four months of this year, up by two shipments compared to the year before.
Ichthys LNG is a joint venture between operator Inpex and major partner TotalEnergies.
In 2024, Inpex also purchased a small stake in Ichthys LNG from compatriot Tokyo Gas to boost its stake from 66.245 percent to 67.82 percent.
Besides TotalEnergies, other partners in the Ichthys project include Australian units of CPC, Osaka Gas, Kansai Electric Power, Jera, and Toho Gas.
