OREANDA-NEWS. April 03, 2015. This week, GDF SUEZ celebrates the 50th anniversary of the first commercial Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) cargo delivery. The LNG cargo was loaded at the Arzew plant in Algeria, and delivered to Gaz de France in Le Havre, France.

This first delivery performed by the LNG carrier Jules Verne, marks the birth of a new industry, that would revolutionize the world of energy due to the possibility to link, across the seas, the countries producing natural gas and consumer areas. Many technological innovations were required to control the liquid gas at -160° C in a marine environment, for transportation, but also onshore for its liquefaction and regasification. In total, 690 cargos have been delivered to Le Havre during the following 24 years. Today in France, 3 LNG regasification terminals (Montoir de Bretagne, Fos Tonkin and Fos Cavaou), operated by Elengy, subsidiary of GDF SUEZ, continue to receive LNG from Algeria and various exporting countries. The partnership between SONATRACH and GDF SUEZ is the oldest commercial LNG chain, still active, in the world.

Gérard Mestrallet, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of GDF SUEZ, declared : “This 50th anniversary of the first LNG delivery, gives us the opportunity to recall the pioneer position of GDF SUEZ in the LNG industry, thanks to breakthrough technological innovations. Today, GDF SUEZ continues to be at the edge of innovation by adapting to the evolution of a global market full of promises and challenges.”

With a capacity of 24,570 m3, the Jules Verne was engineered to transport the extremely chilled natural gas in self-supported tanks by the Seine-Maritime Shipyards and Workshops. This technology was soon replaced by the cryogenic membrane technology developed and improved by GTT, a subsidiary of GDF SUEZ, and is used today on a large-scale basis by the world LNG tankers fleet.

GDF SUEZ is a global LNG player and the main LNG importer in Europe. Today, with 16.4 mtpa, GDF SUEZ has the third largest LNG supply portfolio in the world, supplied from six different countries. It operates a large fleet of 14 LNG carriers under medium and long term charter agreements. The fleet is permanently optimized to satisfy GDF SUEZ’ long term commitments and short term opportunities. The Group has also a significant presence in regasification terminals around the world.