India: Cochin Shipyard fit to build LNG carriers

India’s Cochin Shipyard has completed all requirements to be licenced by France’s GTT to build LNG carriers with the Mark III membrane containment system, according to India’s ministry of shipping.

CSL received the certificate after its has completed the Mark III Flex mock-up, becoming the first Indian shipyard to obtain the license from GTT.

This award brings the Cochin Shipyard closer to building liquefied natural gas carriers for GAIL under the Make in India scheme that requires three out of nine vessels to be built domestically. The shipyard has already struck a deal with Samsung Heavy Industries to cooperate in the construction of the vessels.

“GAIL has contracted substantial LNG from USA to be shipped out for the next 20 years. They are in the process of finalising transportation contracts with reputed LNG shipping companies who are to build vessels as per GAIL’s specifications. The contracts would be for a 20 year period and vessels are to be positioned accordingly,” ministry of shipping said in a statement on Monday.

Although the Cochin Shipyard has the technical strength and the basic shipbuilding capability to build these vessels, it requires improvement of existing facilities and systems in the yard as well as implementation of various protocols.

Minister of petroleum and natural gas, Dharmendra Pradhan added that due to a projected growth of 4 percent for LNG procurement in India, the ministry of petroleum will also initiate a workshop with the shipping ministry to work out future LNG requirements in order to bring imported LNG to India’s hinterland.

LNG World News Staff