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The Malaysia International Shipping
Corporation Berhad (MISC) has taken
delivery of its second of the six
new Puteri class LNG tankers that
are being built as part of its fleet
expansion programme.
Speaking at the ceremony to mark the
delivery of the new tanker in Japan,
the chairman of Petronas, Tan Sri
Datuk Seri Azizan Zainul Abidin said
the fleet expansion was MISC's
response to the need for more LNG
carriers to meet the transportation
requirement of MLNG, following the
coming on stream of LNG 3.
It will also provide flexibility to
the customers.
"Furthermore, the expansion in
capacity will position MISC to take
advantage and exploit opportunities
in the LNG transportation business,"
he added.
According to Azizan gas was becoming
the favored fuel of the future. It
is environmentally friendly, and the
world gas reserves constitute the
bulk of the known world hydrocarbon
resources.
"Technological developments,
particularly the advancement in
combined cycle technology and
coupled with the change in attitude
favouring the use of gas for power
generation," he said.
He said while the transmission of
the gas through pipelines has been
getting increasing attention, LNG
remained the most convenient means
of transporting gas across national
boundaries.
"This has resulted in the
development of several new LNG
project in the last decade, and
several others in the pipeline. MISC
with its experience and track record
in LNG transportation is well placed
to exploit this opportunity to
expand its business," said Azizan.
The delivery of Puteri Delima Satu
reaffirms MISC's position as the
single largest owner and operator of
LNG tankers in the world.
MISC has now expanded its LNG fleet
to15 with a gross capacity of 1.50
million cubic metres, representing
about 10 per cent of the world
capacity.
With the delivery of all the new six
Puteri Satu class tankers by the
year 2005, MISC's LNG Transportation
capacity will be increased by 60 per
cent to 2.18 million cubic metres.
Of the four remaining new LNG
tankers, two are being built by MHI
in Nagasaki while two others are
being built by Mitsui Engineering
and Shipbuilding in Chiba, Japan.
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