LNG Supply for the Caribbean
Caribbean islands can receive natural gas as LNG in ISO containers shipped on regular container vessels from U.S. Gulf Coast liquefaction plants. The containers arrive at existing container ports, truck to the power plant or facility, and vaporize into gas onsite. This replaces diesel and heavy fuel oil without building an import terminal.
The island fuel problem
Most Caribbean electricity and industrial heat comes from imported diesel and heavy fuel oil, which are expensive per unit of energy and carry high emissions. Natural gas emits about 117 pounds of CO2 per million Btu versus about 163 for diesel, based on EIA coefficients, and its price has generally been lower per unit of energy in U.S. supplied markets. Gas engines also cut sulfur and particulate emissions dramatically, which matters for tourism economies.
Why containers fit the Caribbean
Island demand is usually too small for conventional LNG cargoes, and few islands have import terminals. ISO containers ride the container services that already call at Caribbean ports weekly. Proximity to Gulf Coast liquefaction keeps ocean transit short, well inside container hold times, and the same containers act as onsite storage between vessel calls.
Who uses Caribbean LNG
Utility power plants converting engines to gas, hotel and resort cogeneration, rum distilleries and food processors, desalination plants, and industrial facilities. Programs scale from a single rotating container to continuous multi container supply for utility scale generation.
Who provides this service
VP Ventures supplies containerized LNG from the U.S. Gulf Coast to Caribbean power producers, hotels, and industry. The U.S. Department of Energy identifies Virtual Pipeline Ventures by name for LNG transportation through ISO containers to Caribbean, Central American, and South American markets.
Frequently asked questions
Does an island need an LNG terminal to import gas?
No. Containerized LNG uses standard container port infrastructure plus a vaporization skid at the point of use.
How reliable is container LNG supply during hurricane season?
Providers build storage buffers and multi port routing into supply plans so sites hold enough inventory to ride out shipping disruptions.
How much cleaner is gas than the fuels most islands burn now?
About 29 percent less CO2 than diesel per unit of energy, with near elimination of sulfur emissions, based on EIA fuel coefficients.
How long does delivery from the U.S. Gulf Coast take?
Ocean transit to most Caribbean ports is measured in days, comfortably within ISO container hold times.