The gas import floating terminal (GIFT) concept is an offshore floating LNG storage terminal moored to the seabed by means of a turret system that allows the terminal to weather-vane freely with the prevailing weather conditions, thus minimising the loads acting on the terminal and its mooring in extremely bad weather conditions (typically hurricane in Gulf of Mexico).

When the significant wave height is higher than 1.25m (operating limit of the tugs) and lower than 2.5m (unloading operation limit of GIFT), stern transverse thrusters rotate the hull oblique to the direction of the prevailing seas, so that the hull acts like a breakwater and creates a calmer area in its lee side for the tugs, in which they can manoeuver the LNG carriers for berthing and mooring. During an LNG carrier unloading or when in stand-by without LNG carrier, the terminal weather-vanes freely.

The terminal receives LNG from conventional LNG carriers that berth alongside. The LNG is regasified onboard the terminal and gas is exported to shore via two 16-in flexible risers and a subsea pipeline.

To further dampen the swell in the terminal’s lee, the hull is fitted with large skirts horizontally arranged at the keel level, based on the experience of the new floating jetty installed in Monaco harbour and designed by Doris Engineering.

The GIFT concept has been developed by a Consortium of participants and granted by the Commission of the European Communities in order to provide new solutions for importing LNG in densely populated areas, in a safe, economical and efficient manner. The Consortium comprises Doris Engineering (Coordinator), Akeryards SA (France), National Technical University of Athens (Greece), Det Norske Veritas (Norway), and London Marine Consultants (United Kingdom).

The conclusions of the project study are very positive and the GIFT concept is now ready for full scale implementation on a specific project.o

Doris Engineering is based in Paris, France. www.doris-engineering.com