Vopak starts operations at LPG facility in Singapore

Tank storage company Vopak has commenced operations at its liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) import and storage facility in Banyan terminal at Jurong Island in Singapore.

As part of the start up, the terminal received its first LPG cargo onboard the vessel Sun Aries.

Vopak said that the shipment from Sun Aries will deliver refrigerated propane to ExxonMobil Asia Pacific, the company’s anchor customer for the facility.

Vopak Terminals Singapore managing director Tan Soo Koong said: "We are very happy with this successful start-up of our new LPG facility within our Banyan terminal.

"We are very well positioned to capture the flows of LPG coming from US and Middle East and our independent LPG facility is geared towards becoming a strategic gas centre in the future."

ExxonMobil Asia Pacific chairman and managing director Gan Seow Kee said: "We are pleased to play a part in the commissioning and start-up of the LPG facility, which adds to the long-term competitiveness for our industry in Singapore and the synergistic strength of Jurong Island.

"The LPG facility will help in providing us increased flexibility in securing advantaged feedstock for our integrated refining and petrochemical complex."

The facility is 80% owned by Vopak Terminals Singapore, and the remaining 201% is owned by SK Gas International. It has an initial capacity of about 80,000m³.

Initially Vopak announced plans to invest in the LPG facility in December 2013.

The facility is part of the Jurong Island 2.0 initiative and is connected to nearby plants through pipeline, enabling LPG import and distribution in Jurong Island safely.

Together with its partners, Vopak operates five terminals in Singapore with a total capacity of more than three million cubic metres.

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Image: The shipment from Sun Aries vessel will deliver propane to ExxonMobil Asia Pacific. Photo: courtesy of Koninklijke Vopak NV.