First Floating Gas Plant Moored Off Tuscan Coast

The FSRU Toscana, the first floating ‘gas plant’ in the world, was moored 12 miles offshore Livorno (Italy), reports on Thursday a note released by Fairmount Marine, the marine contractor that delivered the LNG platform. 

The Terminal sailed away from Malta on Friday 26 July. It has then been towed in the waters of Tuscany Region by two tugs a few days later, reads a note released by OLT Offshore LNG Toscana, the company holding the construction permits.

According to OLT Offshore LNG Toscana, the Terminal will have a regasification capacity of 3.75 billion cubic meters a year, about 4% of the national demand. The unit has a storage capacity of 137,500 cubic meters of LNG.

“The execution of the complex operations demonstrates sound engineering methodology, good preparations, strong teamwork and 110 percent commitment of all involved,” stated contractor Saipem.

The Toscana, a so-called floating, storage and re-gasification unit (FSRU), is the results of the conversion of the 288 meters long LNG tanker Golar Frost. The operations took place at Drydock World in Dubai.

The main shareholders of OLT Offshore LNG Toscana are E.ON Ruhrgas (46.79%) and IREN Mercato (41.71%). The gas will be transferred onshore through a 36.5 km long pipeline operated and managed by Snam Rete Gas, of which 29.5 km are at sea and 7 km on dry land.

Fairmount Marine is a marine contractor for ocean towage and heavy lift transportation, headquartered in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.