LNG Canada is on track to receive a shipment of liquefied natural gas at its marine terminal in Kitimat, B.C., in early April as part of equipment testing ahead of its planned start of exports later this year. The company announced the shipment last month and has now confirmed the vessel Maran Gas Roxana is en route to deliver the LNG.
According to Maritime Optima, Maran Gas Roxana is currently in the East Pacific. The vessel, built in 2017 and sailing under the flag of Greece, is 295 metres long with a beam of 46 metres. Its deadweight capacity is 95,194 tonnes—the maximum weight it can safely carry.
From the Triple Island pilot station near Prince Rupert, a team of B.C. Coast Pilots will guide the vessel along a 159-nautical-mile route to the Kitimat terminal, escorted by HaiSea Marine tugs.
Once docked, LNG loading arms will connect to the vessel’s manifolds to gradually transfer the LNG ashore. The process, which includes cooling the facility’s pipes and storage tank, could take three to four weeks to complete.
After offloading, the carrier will be guided out of Canadian waters with escort support, marking a key milestone in the commissioning process for Canada’s first major LNG export terminal.
The delivery is a critical step in the facility’s start-up and commissioning process, which is already underway, and is required to ensure LNG Canada remains on track to ship its first cargo by mid-2025.
The shipment is not intended for export but will be used to test and commission the facility, which remains in the start-up phase and has not yet begun LNG production, according to the company.
LNG Canada said the import is necessary to cool its LNG storage tank and test equipment under cryogenic conditions. It does not anticipate further LNG imports before the facility begins operations.
