BW selected as FSRU supplier by Pakistan GasPort Limited

BW Group (BW) has signed a 15-year agreement with Pakistan GasPort Limited (PGPL) to provide LNG regasification services utilizing a new-build Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU) for the second Pakistan LNG terminal.

BW’s state-of-the-art FSRU, Hull No. 2118 and currently at Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) in Korea, will be utilized for this project. To be delivered in 4Q2016, the vessel offers a low environmental footprint, high efficiency, storage capacity in excess of 170,000m3 and a peak regasification capacity of 750mmscfd.

“We are proud to be selected as the FSRU supplier for the Pakistan project,” says Yngvil Åsheim, Managing Director of BW LNG. “BW is a leading player in the LNG sector, and we will leverage on our many years of experience to support Pakistan as they build their second LNG terminal. We look forward to a strong partnership with Pakistan GasPort and to delivering our commitments on time and at the highest quality.”

“We are delighted to be working with BW on this vitally important infrastructure project, which is the result of policies aimed at promoting investment and the renewed global faith in our country’s economy,” says Iqbal Z. Ahmed, Chairman of PGPL. “This landmark project will reduce Pakistan’s gas deficit by 30 percent, ensure fuel for 3,600 megawatts of new power generation plants being constructed in Pakistan to reduce power outages by 80 percent, and save some $1.5 billion in annual foreign-exchange savings.”

The project will be commissioned by 30 June 2017, at Port Qasim, Karachi.

BW is a leading international gas shipping company with more than 80 years of maritime energy transportation history, 40 years of operational experience in LNG, and a current fleet of 21 LNG carriers including newbuildings. BW is the world’s largest owner and operator of Very Large Gas Carriers and a leading player in tankers and Floating Production Storage and Offloading units (FPSOs). BW’s first FSRU, the BW Singapore, is currently involved in a five-year contract providing LNG regasification and storage services in Egypt.

PGPL is part of Associated Group (AG), one of Pakistan’s business houses specializing in the energy sector. Established in 1965, AG is today the country’s largest gas processor in the private sector, and represents both the largest investment made so far in Pakistan’s LPG sector and the most expansive nationwide LPG bottling, transportation and marketing network. AG also has interests in power generation, construction, and media.

Source: BW group

Industrial and University gap

A recent survey conducted by Career Advisory & Assessment Service has showed that 76.61% of employers in Pakistan are unhappy with caliber level of university graduates with respect to industry requirements. While another 94.74% of employers reckon that lack of advisory facilities in universities lead to the point where students opt for subjects that do not match their personalities. More than 70% employers do not consider grades as an evaluation criteria, 79% of employers prefer the personal development and 74% are craved for better soft skills of candidates. Now what these stats are showing? Misery of our education system where only rate racers of getting degrees exist. Or industrial talent acquisition programs are not suitable in Pakistan. There are many reasons backing up this situation.

The lead driver for the situation is absence or weak linkage/cooperation between academia & industry. As Universities are just getting focus on number of graduates passing out without considering the market situation and industry analysis. And offering the programs that are not complying with industry requirement. Meanwhile industries are just demanding the certain level of capabilities without deeming the level of education, learning facilities and career guidance services in universities. The ultimate result leads to increased unemployment rate and depression in society. As here universities are enrolling on bulk in Business Administration segment without knowing past business graduates are still jobless or doing low-level jobs because market has been saturated.

The syllabus of subjects is also a reason for this collapse. Outdated contents or foreign techniques of practicing created the conflicts in coping up with local needs. As business graduates are being studied the ways of doing business that had practiced in North America and Europe in 20th century. Graduates just know how Kentucky Fried Chicken’s Colonel Sanders developed his old age yearning into real business empire in fast food industry but even didn’t hear the name of Hakim Muhammad Saeed and his project City of Wisdom (Madina-tul-Hikmat) during their studies. Their projects cover the Aramco & British Petroleum but rarely headed towards PSO & Attock Petroleum.

Local information for their concern subjects is scarce and teachers also unaware of that. With the subject contents defects, the teaching methods, pedagogy and grades evaluation criteria are not effective too. Lads don’t know how to convey their message to companies, in form of Resumes, interviews etc., even after getting their degrees. And guidance for career path is totally missing in universities. Advisory councils are rare and if present ineffective in most universities. This time urges us to reshape the system that delivers fruitful results for academics and industries both.

It is necessary to forge a plate form that combines the industry and university on same point where both heed to each other’s needs and manifesto. University should manage the office for industrial linkage and take feedback from them. Alumni of universities are also best source of feedback and real informer of industry. Their response can help academia to develop the strategies for future programs.

At the time of admission, Students should be advised for peculiar subjects which they excelled previously and yearn to move on. And after passing out, post-degree situations of each student should consider. Similarly, industrial manager should visit and deliver the lectures on job exposure and know-how of environment outside university. Talent acquisitions teams and faculty members should arrange the meetings on monthly basis to share their working for better output. Ultimately, the cooperation of theory and practice is main key to success. Therefore all efforts should be assert to make result-oriented collaboration by all stake holders.

CPEC TO BRING ABOUT REVOLUTION IN BALOCHISTAN: JAM KAMAL

ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Resources, Jam Kamal Khan Thursday said that the Pakistan China Economic Corridor (CPEC) would bring about economic revolution in the whole Baluchistan region.

He said that the development of Gwadar port was the priority of the government which would not only help development of the area but would ensure progress of whole Balochistan.

According to press statement issued here, the Minister was inaugurating a gas extension project of Sui Southern in Gawadar. He urged the youth to focus on education and overcome all the confronting challenges.

He said that provision of gas to the far-flung areas of Balochistan was priority of his government.

He said that no attention was given to the far flung areas of Balochistan in the past, however added that the current government was focusing on backward areas and was working on various schemes to uplift these areas.

He said that the government was working on different projects of education, health, irrigation to help develop the area.

Earlier, the minister was briefed by Acting Director Sui Southern, Waseem Ahmad on the extension project. He was informed that gas network existed in Gwadar since 2006 which has been facilitating about 994 domestic and two commercial consumers.

He said that with the extension of the project, all the areas of city would be facilitated. Chairman Gwadar, Dosteen Jamal-ud- Din, Chairman District Council, Babu Ghulab Baloch, Deputy Commissioner Gwadar Tufail Baloch were also present on the occasion.

Source:www.berecorder.com