The LNG carrier Provalys has been owned by the Group since 2006. She is reputed to be the world's largest LNG carrier currently in service. She can store and carry up to 150,000 m3 of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). Every year, Provalys covers thousands of kilometers crisscrossing the world's oceans to deliver her cargoes to gas-consuming countries.

The Provalys is a giant of the seas, and her dimensions are breathtaking: 285 meters long, four 50-meter high storage tanks and an 8-meter diameter that can propel this leviathan at an average speed of 16 knots (30 kph).

In addition to these colossal measurements, this LNG carrier boasts two technological innovations that have made her one of the most efficient of her kind in the world ever since she was launched. In addition to a tank insulation system that limits natural evaporation and increases shipping capacity, this LNG carrier also has a natural gas powered propulsion system fueled essentially from the natural evaporation of her cargo. This second innovation improves overall proportion efficiency significantly and limits greenhouse gas emissions.

The tanks onboard Provalys are filled with LNG; natural gas converted to liquid form by being chilled to approximately -160°C at atmospheric pressure. This liquefaction process reduces its volume by a factor of 600, making long-distance transportation much easier.

The voyages made by Provalys range from several weeks to several months. Her time at sea is interspersed with LNG loading and unloading operations. Once safely moored in port, it takes around 10 hours to unload Provalys as LNG from the four full tanks is piped to those of the destination terminal. The unloading technique consists of passing the LNG through heated pipelines that vaporize the liquefied gas immediately. The resulting gas can then be stored or injected directly into the gas supply system.

The Group fleet

The ENGIE fleet boasts a total of 18 ships. It represents a considerable Group asset, and allows it to develop natural gas orders internationally. These enormous LNG carriers transport Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG); a form of energy much more respectful of the environment than the equivalent quantity of coal or heavy fuel oil. ENGIE was an early adopter of these benefits and leads the world in natural gas: the Group is now the biggest buyer of gas in Europe, and the world's third-largest LNG importer.3 of LNG; sufficient to meet the gas needs of 41 million people.

Key figures

  • 285 meters long
  • 8-meter diameter propeller
  • Four 50-meter storage tanks - as high as the Arc de Triomphe
  • 153,000 m3 of LNG storage capacity
  • Crew of 29
  • 10-hour unloading cycle
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