Since Jiangsu LNG station came into use in 2011, ZAGRA, the largest LNG ship in the world, has visited Yangkou Port 16 times, carrying more than 1.8 million tons of LNG. [Photo/ntfabu.com]

A vessel named ZAGRA, loaded with 115,000 tons of liquefied natural gas (LNG), berthed at the PetroChina Jiangsu LNG Station in Rudong county, Nantong on Oct 13. It was the 400th LNG ship received by the Jiangsu station in 10 years of operation.

So far, the total volume of LNG unloaded by the station exceeds 33 million tons, and the throughput of global natural gas is up to 48.7 billion cubic meters, which is equivalent to the 10-year civil gas needs of Jiangsu province.

ZAGRA is the largest LNG ship in the world. Since the Jiangsu LNG station came into use in 2011, ZAGRA has visited Yangkou Port 16 times, carrying more than 1.8 million tons of LNG.

"In May 2011, the first LNG vessel berthed at Yangkou Port; by February 2015 the number had reached 100," said Miao Xiaochen, deputy general manager and chief safety officer of PetroChina Jiangsu Liquefied Natural Gas Co Ltd. "The station received the 200th and the 300th ship respectively in 2018 and 2019; this year, we greeted the 400th."

The improvement of the energy level of the receiving station and strong downstream demand are the major reasons for the increased number of vessels handled at the port.

The first LNG project of PetroChina, Jiangsu LNG Station built three 160,000-cu-m storage tanks. In 2016, a 200,000-cu-m storage tank was added in the second phase of the project.

At present, the annual handling capacity of the four tanks is 6.5 million tons, and the annual gasification capacity is 10 million tons. At its peak, it can meet more than one-third of the province's gas demands.

The two 200,000-cu-m storage tanks of the third phase expansion project of Jiangsu station have completed topping of their outer tanks. With installation of the inner tanks and pipelines being stepped up, the third phase is expected to come into operation in the third quarter of 2021.

In addition, PetroChina also plans to join hands with industry companies to build one more dedicated unloading dock and corresponding supporting facilities on Sunshine Island to achieve the goal of an annual unloading turnover capacity of 10 million tons.