25 August 2016
DOHA: RasGas Company Limited (RasGas) has shipped its first liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargo to the Floating Storage Regasification Unit (FSRU) Toscana, located in Italy. The cargo, aboard RasGas' Al Thakhira, was delivered on Tuesday.

The receiver of the said cargo is a new customer for RasGas, DufEnergy Trading SA (DufEnergy), which is an international, multi-energy trading company based in Lugano, Switzerland. Since entering the LNG market in late 2012, DufEnergy has been successfully delivering a number of LNG cargos to its customers, while diversifying its LNG supply portfolio.

FSRU Toscana is one of Italy's main regasification projects, and is located 22km off the Italian coast between Livorno and Pisa. The terminal is permanently anchored to the seabed through a mooring system, with a single point of rotation at the bow.

This shipment -- to a new customer at a new terminal -- underlines RasGas' positive growth path, and continues the company's outstanding performance even in a period of low energy prices.

"RasGas looks forward to continuing our support of DufEnergy in meeting the growing demand in Italy - and throughout Europe - for cleaner energy in the form of LNG.The arrival of our LNG cargo at FSRU Toscana represents another positive development in RasGas' global operations," said Khalid Sultan R. Al Kuwari, RasGas' Chief Marketing & Shipping Officer.

"Receiving this cargo at the FSRU Toscana regasification terminal is an important milestone, as LNG is a key source of supply to the Italian natural gas market," said Jean-Christian Heintz, Head of LNG at DufEnergy.

Qatar's RasGas is one the world's largest gas exporters, with an integrated shipping fleet consisting of 27 long-term chartered LNG vessels. The fleet's variety of 14 conventional ships, 12 Q-Flex and one Q-Max vessel enhances RasGas' flexibility to meet worldwide demand for cleaner energy.

© The Peninsula 2016