Tank storage company Vopak has started operations at its new liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) facility on Jurong Island.

The independent LPG import and storage terminal - the first of its kind in South-east Asia - has an initial capacity of about 80,000 cubic metres. It received its first cargo on Sunday for anchor tenant ExxonMobil Asia Pacific, said the company yesterday.

The facility is 80 per cent owned by Vopak Terminals Singapore and 20 per cent by SK Gas International, a unit of South Korea's SK Gas.

"We are very well-positioned to capture the flows of LPG coming from the United States and Middle East, and our independent LPG facility is geared towards becoming a strategic gas centre in the future," said Mr Tan Soo Koong, the managing director of Vopak Terminals Singapore.

Vopak operates five terminals here with a total capacity of more than three million cubic metres.

Mr Damian Chan, executive director of energy and chemicals at the Singapore Economic Development Board, added: "Improving feedstock competitiveness is a focus area under the Jurong Island version 2.0 initiative, which aims to grow the sector in a competitive and sustainable manner.

"With this new LPG facility, crackers can now tap on alternative feedstock.

"This will strengthen our integrated chemicals value chain and further enhance Jurong Island's attractiveness as a manufacturing location for high-value added chemicals," he said.

Jacqueline Woo