Shell to provide services to 25 Qatar Gas LNG carriers

Shell to provide services to 25 Qatar Gas LNG carriers
BY A STAFF REPORTER /KHALEEJ TIMES 12 July 2007

DUBAI — Shell International Trading and Shipping Company Ltd has formally become the provider of shipping and marine services to some 25 newly built liquefied natural gas, or LNG, carriers of Qatar Gas Transport Company Ltd (Nakilat).

In a statement, the companies said they formalised in a ceremonial signing yesterday the master services agreement they had drawn up in November 2006. "A key element of the agreement is the commitment to the development of Nakilat's shipping expertise, in support of its aspiration to become a fully integrated LNG shipping company," it said.

Faisal Al Suwaidi, Vice-Chairman, Nakilat, cited the importance of having in place a world-claxx LNG shipping operation, saying that Qatar is the world's leading producer of LNG. "With the signing of this agreement, we are setting the foundations for the development of all the necessary LNG shipping capabilities to meet our growing global requirements," he said.

The statement said the 25-year deal calls for Shell to provide Nakilat a full range of shipping services including staff recruitment, training and operational management of the vessels. It added that the operations management of the ships has to be transferred to Nakilat within 12 years of the delivery of the last vessel.

Linda Cook, executive director, Royal Dutch Shell, said the company has added another dimension to its growing partnership with Qatar, noting Shell's 40-year experience in transporting LNG around the world safely and reliably.

"We have already begun to recruit and train the required personnel to make the partnership a success," Cood said.

The statement said Nakilat's fleet of LNG vessels will be put into service over the next four years