Brunei Gas Carriers opens Kiulap office
By CT Hj Mahmod

Awg Hj Ibrahim presenting a token of appreciation to Dato Paduka Awg Hj Yakub at
end of the ceremony. Photo: Rudolf Portillo 

Brunei Gas Carriers Sdn Bhd (BGC), a joint venture company established to build, own and operate an LNG vessel, opened its office yesterday at a new premises at Setia Kenangan Office Block in Kiulap. It was incorporated in Brunei Darussalam in March 1998. Its newly built state-of-the-art LNG vessel - the SS ABADI - is currently chartered under a long-term charter to Brunei LNG Sdn Bhd (BLNG) for the transportation of LNG to BLNG customers in Japan and South Korea in addition to the seven B Class LNG carriers owned by Brunei Shell Tankers Sdn Bhd.

In light of the new office, it is hoped that "BGC would give inspiration to the locals to pursue careers in the LNG shipping business, in which so far, their active roles towards the development of fellow countrymen in the pursuance of seafaring careers together with Brunei Shell Tankers, have been proven".

This was highlighted by Awg Hj Ibrahim bin Hj Mohd. Yassin, Acting Managing Director of BGC Sdn Bhd, during the ceremony to declare open the office by Dato Paduka Awg Hj Yakub bin Abu Bakar, Deputy Minister of Finance, in his capacity as the Chairman of BGC Sdn Bhd.

It is proven by the "achievements made by all the Bruneian cadets, whose performances have been highly commendable and have exceeded expectations, and who will be graduating in the United Kingdom".

And among them, Ak Nor Hazman bin Pg. Hj Abd Hamid has been nominated as the Warsash Maritime Centre's Best Engineer Cadet National Vocational Qualification Portfolio - a highly recognised qualification worldwide.

It is further hoped that "more qualified personnel will take up positions within the company", he added, whereby "requirements on the technical and operations functions will be the next one to be developed especially in the area of future new building projects".

As 80% of BGC shares are held by the Prime Minister Corporation, whereas the remaining balance is shared between Shell Gas BV and Diamond Gas Carriers BV (a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Corporation) equally, Bruneisation is a prominent aspect to BCG.

And through ABADI's appointed ship manager, Shell International Trading and Shipping Co.Ltd, it is envisaged that most, if not all of the officers and ratings on board the ABADI will be Bruneians by the year 2007.

Awg Hj Ibrahim summarised the milestones achieved by the company since its establishment, such as the Naming Ceremony for the ABADI in Nagasaki, Japan followed by the timely delivery of ABADI and the ceremony to commemorate the completion of first loading, unloading of the first LNG Cargo for the ABADI, which is also the first LNG Vessel to receive the Lloyd's Register Environmental Protection notation for any LNG or Japanese built ships.

The financing of the ABADI is one of the biggest project financing facilities arranged under the Brunei International Financial Centre, Ministry of Finance that amounted to US$100 million, which involved several international financial institutions with the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Ltd being its Lead Arranger.

Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin