Northern European ports and harbors are being tested for transshipment of LNG cargoes, with what shipbroker SSY suggests is an eye to future deliveries from Arctic liquefaction projects. Ship-to-ship (STS) LNG transfers aren't new: US-based Excelerate pioneered the practice in early 2007 at Scapa Flow, a deep-sea channel in the Orkney Islands off northern Scotland, and STS has regularly been used to deliver LNG to Israel since the start of the year (WGI Apr.3'13). Such operations nonetheless remain relatively rare, but two occurred in northern Europe in the first half of August. The first was at the Montoir import terminal on France's Atlantic coast, run by GDF Suez-owned Elengy. A spokeswoman said the transfer, Montoir's first, "demonstrates that Elengy is ready and operational for any transshipment for any clients willing to subscribe to this service at Montoir." The tanker, Ben Badis, then headed north to unload another STS one week later at Scapa Flow. The vessel to which it transferred the cargo, Excel, owned by Excelerate, went on to deliver to Bahia Blanca in Argentina. Both vessels are on short-term charter to trader Vitol.
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