Small-scale player Avenir LNG has awarded a reliquefaction plant contract to UK-based engineer Houlder for its 20,000-cbm LNG bunkering and supply vessel, Avenir Achievement.
Houlder said in a social media post on Monday it won the detailed design and engineering for the retrofit of an Air Liquide boil-off Gas (BOG) reliquefaction plant.
This work follows the successful completion of basic design and engineering by Houlder in the first quarter of this year, it said.
Avenir took delivery of this vessel from China’s Nantong CIMC SOE in May. Avenir Achievement and its sister vessel, Hai Gang Wei Lai, which Avenir sold to a Chinese JV, are the world’s largest LNG bunkering ships.
Starting in the first quarter of 2023, the vessel will serve LNG giant Shell for a period of three years with an option to extend up to five years.
Prior to that, US LNG player New Fortress Energy will use the ship for a period of six months.
Vessel to get the plant prior to Shell charter
According to Houlder, the installation of the new subcooler plant would take place at the end of 2022, ahead of the vessel’s charter with Shell.
The new TBF700 plant has capacity to reliquefy up to 1Te of BOG per hour.
Also, the system would allow Avenir Achievement to maintain its LNG cargo at a low temperature, avoiding “LNG ageing” and maintaining cargo characteristics when bunkering, Houlder said.
The system prevents losses during idle periods, permitting reliquefication of received cargo vapor after bunkering operations, further reducing wasted cargo and greenhouse gas emissions, it said.
Houlder did not reveal the financial details of the contract.
