Maharatna public sector unit GAIL (India) Ltd has flagged off its Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) carrier ‘Energy Fidelity’ from the Sabine Pass terminal in the US. The vessel is expected to ensure a resilient supply chain of cleaner fuel for the country, the company said.
According to the company, the vessel can ship 1,74,000 CBM. Presently, the vessel is on its way to India after it was flagged off on April 20.
India's Consul General in Houston, Texas, DC Manjunath, who presided over the ceremony, said, “This ceremony symbolises the robust and growing India-US energy partnership, a relationship built on the shared priorities of reliability, innovation, and long-term security.” The development, she stressed, aligns with India's focus on the 3Ts: Trade, Technology and Tourism, which reflects a deepening partnership between the two countries based on mutual trust and shared goals of energy security.
In recent years, India has been vigorously diversifying its oil and gas imports. The country has significantly increased Russian oil, besides hiking the import of the commodity from the US and Africa. As half of its imported gas from Qatar and the UAE passes through the effectively closed Strait of Hormuz, this diversification is crucial for India.
A GAIL official said that the company views the latest addition as the fulcrum of its future-ready shipping portfolio, as the new vessel is engineered for maximum efficiency. The new vessel uses the advanced air lubrication systems and specialised propulsion technology to minimise its carbon footprint during the trans-oceanic voyage.
“This advanced LNG carrier stands as a testament to India's growing strength in building a robust, future-ready energy ecosystem. The vessel ensures a resilient supply chain and a reliable flow of cleaner fuel to support the country's growth.”
The development comes in the light of the government’s target to increase the share of natural gas in the energy mix to 15 percent in 2030 from present of around 6.3 percent and India's Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 that aims to build a world-class, sustainable fleet to transition the country towards a gas-based economy.
