According to a statement by India’s largest gas utility, the 2021-built 180,000-cbm, GAIL Bhuwan, owned by MOL and chartered by GAIL, delivered the shipment on June 2, marking the commencement of uninterrupted, round-the-year operations at the Dabhol LNG terminal.
GAIL Bhuwan’s AIS data provided by VesselsValue shows that the LNG carrier brought the cargo from the Cove Point LNG export facility in the US, where GAIL has a 20-year offtake deal.
With the commissioning of the breakwater after receipt of all statutory approvals, Dabhol LNG terminal has now been designated an “all-weather port.”
GAIL said this is a “critical transformation that ensures safe and reliable LNG operations even during the southwest monsoon, traditionally a challenging period for marine logistics on India’s west coast.”
Located on the Maharashtra coastline, the Dabhol LNG facility has a regasification capacity of 5 mtpa and serves as a “vital” link in India’s gas supply network via the Dabhol-Bangalore and Dabhol-Panvel cross-country pipelines.
GAIL noted that Dabhol is an island breakwater, unlike conventional land-connected structures.
Expansion
The company said that it expects the successful commissioning of the breakwater to “significantly” enhance vessel accessibility and improve capacity utilization at the terminal.
GAIL said this achievement comes at a crucial time as the company looks to expand the terminal’s capacity from 5 mtpa to 6.3 mtpa in the first phase over the next three years.
Once expanded, GAIL expects the facility to handle up to 100 LNG cargoes annually, thereby playing a “pivotal role” in reinforcing India’s energy security.
