A major hurdle in securing departure clearance for the Cypriot vessel Prometheus from Cosco’s Shanghai shipyard was cleared yesterday, marking a positive development for Cyprus’s interests.
The Lloyd’s Register has approved certification for Prometheus (formerly LNG carrier Galea), which has been converted by Chinese CPP into a Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU), according to sources. This certification enables the vessel to depart Shanghai for its lengthy journey to Cyprus, with a planned stopover in Singapore.
The Lloyd’s certification specifically covers the vessel’s seaworthiness for port-to-port travel, rather than its FSRU operations for LNG regasification. The operational certification will be issued after final modifications are completed at facilities where an FSRU is already operational. Before reaching Vasilikos, Cyprus, Prometheus must undergo testing at natural gas processing facilities in another country to receive operational certification under real regasification conditions.
While Egypt or the United Arab Emirates were initially considered likely locations for certification, sources indicate that discussions are now focused on transferring the vessel, which cost nearly 200 million euros, to the new natural gas regasification facilities in Alexandroupolis, Greece.
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