Ports

Feasibility study for LNG bunkering at Thai port under way

Baird Maritime
Image: Bogdan Kocemba/MarineTraffic.com

Marubeni Corporation has started a joint feasibility study with Thailand's petroleum company PTT for an LNG bunkering project at Laem Chabang Port.

The study aims to implement LNG refuelling of ships at Thailand's largest industrial port, where more than 8,000 ships arrive and leave annually.

It comes with the tightening of environmental gas regulations in 2020 and the expected increase in LNG-fuelled ships.

The project is designed to use a fuel supply ship that is compatible with an existing PTT-managed LNG terminal at Map Ta Phut, about 200 kilometres southeast of Bangkok. It is within the Eastern Economic Corridor, where infrastructure development is being strategically implemented.

The Japanese government and Marubeni will contribute to the infrastructure development.