LNG terminal construction delayed until July 2024 - FINANCIAL MIRROR

12 AUGUST 2023
Kyriacos Kiliaris

The construction of the liquified natural gas terminal at Vasiliko, Limassol, has been pushed back until the end of July 2024, confirmed Energy Minister George Papanastasiou.

However, the minister argued that the development is a positive milestone for the project, as it offers a clear and definite timeframe for the first time.

In a telephone interview with the Financial Mirror, Energy Minister George Papanastasiou confirmed the Chinese-led consortium awarded the contract for the LNG terminal has unofficially filed a new timetable, promising to deliver the project by July 2024.

China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering Co (CPC) presented its latest work timetable to Cypriot officials three weeks ago.

It is the fourth time the Chinese-led consortium has pushed back the construction date. Initially, there were hopes of it being ready by early 2022.

It was back in December 2019 when Cyprus signed the contract with the consortium.

New impetus for tardy LNG project - CYPRUS MAIL

April 2, 2023

Elias Hazou

The recently-appointed energy minister George Papanastasiou seems to have injected a sense of purpose

Construction of a €300 million liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal at Vasilikos, plagued by a series of delays, has finally picked up some steam. And whereas not all the ducks are lined up in a row, so to speak, a more assertive stance by Cypriot authorities means the project as a whole could be delivered by the end of the year.

The previous deadline set for completion was October 2023. That target – probably intended for public consumption – was announced only a month ago. To put things into perspective, it was way back in December 2019 when Cyprus signed the contract with a consortium led by China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering Co Ltd. The project’s kickoff meeting didn’t take place until September 2020.

“Realistically, we’re now looking at end of 2023 for completion, or beginning of 2024,” Energy Minister George Papanastasiou told the Sunday Mail.

The LNG terminal will include a floating storage and regasification unit (Fsru), a jetty for mooring the Fsru, a jetty-borne gas pipeline and related infrastructure.

Cyprus gas project going full steam ahead - KATHIMERINI

13.01.2022 • 23:06

Work on the ETYFA Flagship project, which will supply clean natural gas to Vassilikos Power Station in Cyprus, is continuing unabated despite the Covid-19 pandemic.

Two vital components that have to be installed on the liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier ETYFA Prometheas are the regasification (Regas) module and the power module.

The Regas module is responsible for converting the liquefied natural gas to a gaseous form and deliver this to Vassilikos Power Station in order to power the combined cycle turbines which generate electricity for the Republic of Cyprus. The Regas module is being installed on the bow of the ship.

Cyprus enters LNG era with FSRU groundbreaking at Vassilikos - PLATTS

10 Jul 2020 | 12:00 UTC Nicosia

Gary Lakes, Editor: Alisdair Bowles

• LNG import terminal to be operational by end-2022
• Terminal to end Cyprus' energy isolation: President
• Chinese-led project backed by European Commission

Nicosia — Cypriot officials hailed the start of a new energy era for the island on July 9 with a groundbreaking ceremony marking the start of construction for a floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) terminal at Vassilikos.

A terminal and an FRSU, supplied by a Chinese-led consortium, are to be in place and operating by the end of 2022, enabling Cyprus to end its reliance on oil imports to fuel its main power generation plant at Vassilikos, where trading giant VTTI also operates a fuel storage and transshipment center.

Chinese-led consortium to build Cyprus’ gas import terminal - ASSOCIATED PRESS

13 December 2019

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Cyprus signed a deal on Friday with a Chinese-led consortium to build the east Mediterranean island nation’s first natural gas import terminal that officials said will help the country generate cleaner and cheaper energy.

Energy Minister Georgios Lakkotrypis said the 289 million-euro ($323 million) floating terminal will help reduce Cyprus’ carbon footprint from electricity generation by up to 30%.

The terminal is designed to convert imported liquefied gas back into gaseous form for use in Cyprus’ main power plant.

A consortium of China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering, Metron, Hudong-Zhongua Shipbuilding and Wilhelmsen Ship Management is expected to finish construction by early 2022.

The terminal that’s expected to be completed by early 2022 is to be built by a consortium of China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering, Metron, Hudong-Zhongua Shipbuilding and Wilhelmsen Ship Management.

Deal to develop LNG infrastructure and supply in Cyprus reached - CYPRUS MAIL

December 3, 20196Jonathan Shkurko

An agreement to sign a contract on developing the necessary infrastructure and the supply of liquified natural gas (LNG) in Cyprus has been finalised.

The goal is to be able to use LNG in the market for electricity purposes by the end of 2021.

The deal follows lengthy negotiations between the Natural Gas Infrastructure Company (Etyfa), the Natural Gas Public Company (Defa) and the joint venture JV China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering Co Ltd and Metron SA, which will carry out the project.

The government gave the go-ahead to finalise the deal on November 22 during a meeting at the Presidential Palace in which President Anastasiades made it clear that Defa must go ahead with the procedures for the provision of natural gas in Cyprus.

The final process of examining and signing the complex agreement will take place this week.

Cyprus aims to sign contract on natural gas infrastructure and supply in 2019 - IN-CYPRUS / CNA

November 27, 2019 at 7:46am
Edited by Bouli Hadjioannou

The government’s aim is to finalise and sign a contract on developing the necessary infrastructure and the supply of natural gas in the Cypriot market within 2019 Energy Minister Yiorgos Lakkotrypis has said.

Lakkotrypis was speaking during an event held to present the annual report for 2018 of the Electricity Authority of Cyprus.

He said the aim is to complete the development project for the necessary infrastructure and the natural gas provision process in the Cypriot market for the electricity production purposes by the end of 2021.

According to Lakkotrypis, the Natural Gas Infrastructure Company (ETYFA) is now in consultations with the first tenderer who is first in line, aiming to finalise the contract and sign it within 2019. Referring to the project he added that it is expected to be completed within 24 months. EAC has a 30% shareholding in ETYFA.

New setback for plans to import gas - CYPRUS MAIL

November 1, 2019

George Psyllides

The island’s effort to import natural gas to power its electricity grid looked set to delay further on Friday after complications emerged in the tender process for the construction of an LNG import terminal at Vassilikos

The latest obstacle to the effort spanning some 14 years concerns an appeal lodged by a company against a decision to exclude it from the project because of links to an entity implicated in a waste treatment scandal.

Aktor SA is part of a consortium comprising China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering Co Ltd (CPPE), Aktor SA and Metron SA, Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding Co. Ltd and Wilhelmsen Ship Management Ltd that won the tender for the construction of a floating storage regasification unit (FSRU), a jetty for the mooring of the FSRU, pipelines, port and other facilities.

Cyprus runs the risk of being trapped into an expensive undertaking with gas deal - CYPRUS MAIL

September 1, 2019

Charles Ellinas

Gas alone will not reduce carbon emissions to the levels required by the EU. This would require a substantial increase in the share of renewables and biofuels in Cyprus energy mix

DEFA announced on 23 August its decision to award the tender for the construction of an LNG import terminal at Vasilikos. This will comprise a floating storage regasification unit (FSRU), a jetty for the mooring of the FSRU, pipelines, port and other facilities.

The winner is a consortium comprising China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering Co Ltd (CPPE), Aktor SA and Metron SA, Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding Co. Ltd and Wilhelmsen Ship Management Ltd.

Announcing its decision DEFA said “we believe that the future of the country is aligned with natural gas and we expect it to play a major role in the economic development of the country in years to come.

“The establishment of the natural gas market will boost the development of the whole energy and industry sectors of the Republic.”

DLA Piper advises Natural Gas Public Company of Cyprus on terminal - HYDROCARBON ENGINEERING

Tuesday, 27 August 2019 11:30

DLA Piper has advised the Natural Gas Public Company of Cyprus (DEFA) on its tender process for the selection of the contractor for the design, construction, procurement, commissioning, operation and maintenance of an offshore LNG import terminal and associated infrastructure, located in Vasilikos, Cyprus.

DEFA announced today the outcome of its tender process, selecting as the first ranked tenderer a consortium led by China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering Co. Ltd, and includes AKTOR S.A., Metron S.A., Hudong-Zhongua Shipbuilding Co. Ltd and Wilhelmsen Ship Management Ltd. As per the terms of the announcement, the tender is for the next stage of the development of a natural gas market in Cyprus and that major companies involved in the European gas markets also participated in the tender process.

The DEFA Chairman, Symeon Kassianides, commented: “We are pleased to see the successful outcome of the process. Here at DEFA we believe that the future of the country is aligned with natural gas and we expect it to play a major role in the economic development of the country in years to come. The establishment of the natural gas market will boost the development of the whole energy and industry sectors of the Republic.”

Multinational consortium named for LNG construction - CYPRUS MAIL

August 23, 2019
George Psyllides

Α multinational consortium of JV China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering Co Ltd, Aktor S.A. and Metron S.A., with Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding Co. Ltd and Wilhelmsen Ship Management Limited ranked first in the evaluation for the construction of the infrastructure required for the introduction of natural gas in Cyprus, it was announced on Friday.

It followed a lengthy and complex tender process overseen by the state natural gas company, Defa, in cooperation with external industry experts.

The top ranked bidder had to satisfy a series of qualitative, quantitative and financial criteria, so as to be able to demonstrate an ability to perform at the high standards set by Defa regarding the development of the Cyprus natural gas market infrastructure.

Firms including MOL, Osaka, Gaslog, chosen in Cyprus FSRU LNG tender - REUTERS

LONDON, July 17 (Reuters) 12:44 PM

Three joint ventures have been selected by Cyprus in the first stage of a tender to provide a floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) to import liquefied natural gas (LNG)
The first joint venture is led by China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering, Natural Gas Public Company of Cyprus (DEFA) said on its website.
The second comprises Samsung C&T, Posco E&C, LNG ship-builder Mitsui O.S.K. Lines and Japanese utility Osaka Gas
The third consortium includes LNG shipping company Gaslog , a unit of Spanish utility Enagas and Italian gas infrastructure company SNAM .

Cyprus aims to have the FSRU vessel in place and importing by 2021 and has a 101 million euro ($113 million) grant from the European Union.

It requested expressions of interest last month to supply the LNG, with a deadline of Sept. 6. ($1 = 0.8919 euros) 

Cyprus nearing transition to a new LNG era - FINANCIAL MIRROR

GasLog's LNG carrier Methane Julia Louise loading
LNG from Shell’s mighty floating LNG Prelude

12 July, 2019

Cyprus Natural Gas Public Company (DEFA), announced Friday it has successfully completed the first step of its troubled tender procedure for the installation of a €250 mln LNG Import Terminal plus infrastructure.

Three international consortia comprising of industry leaders are bidding for the multi-million contract. The bidders are;

1. Joint Venture China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering CO, Ltd – CPP, AKTOR S.A., METRON S.A.
2. Consortium Samsung C&T, Posco E&C, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Osaka Gas
3. European Consortium (DAMCO Energy S.A., ENAGAS Services Solution S.L.U., GasLog LNG Services Ltd., SNAM Spa, TERNA S.A.)

DEFA said the wider range of companies expressing an interest highlighted the “importance of the tender at an international level as well as its viability”.

Chairman of DEFA Symeon Kassianides said: "The great interest shown for this important Cyprus energy project by European and international players of the gas market, is just the first milestone for the realization of a long-term project that is directly linked to the country's energy upgrade and energy pluralism.”