Vancouver to Become Major Hub for LNG Marine Bunkering

The B.C. government has removed regulatory barriers to the $2.2 billion expansion of the FortisBC Tilbury Island LNG plant, paving the way for Vancouver to become a major hub for liquefied natural gas (LNG) marine bunkering.

According to Energy Minister Adrian Dix, this move will increase the competitiveness and sustainability of the Port of Vancouver as it transitions to alternative marine fuels. The expansion includes a new marine jetty needed for marine bunkering, which will be exempted from a certificate of public convenience and necessity review by the B.C. Utilities Commission.

FortisBC's Tilbury Island LNG plant is the only major LNG project in B.C. that is not designed for exports. Instead, it aims to meet growing demand for natural gas as a cleaner fuel alternative for ground and marine transportation. The expansion will bring production up from 250,000 tonnes to 900,000 tonnes per annum in its first phase, with a second phase targeting total production of 2.5 million tonnes per annum.

The project is expected to create 1,100 construction jobs each year over four years and has the support of the Musqueam First Nation, which may have an equity option in the project. The Port of Vancouver wants to position itself as a leading global LNG marine fuelling hub on North America's West Coast.