The NGUYA FLNG vessel docks at a wharf on Xiushan Island in Zhoushan, Zhejiang province. [Photo/Tide News]

China's first large-scale floating liquefied natural gas facility, the NGUYA FLNG, arrived at Xiushan Island in Zhoushan on Dec 11, completing the domestic transfer from Nantong, Jiangsu province to Zhoushan, Zhejiang province.

The NGUYA FLNG vessel was tugged and escorted by seven tugboats from the Zhoushan Port Haitonglunbo Co. This operation marks the first time that the company has participated in towing and escorting an FLNG facility, setting new personal milestones for the ship length and distance tugged.

The FLNG facility is a crucial tool for developing offshore natural gas resources, capable of liquefying and storing extracted natural gas directly at sea, far from land. This facility is complex to build, expensive, and has high added value in marine engineering equipment sector.

The NGUYA FLNG vessel, with a total length of 375.9 meters, was built by Wison (Nantong) Heavy Industry Co. It is now China's largest independently constructed FLNG facility both in terms of tonnage and gas storage capacity.

During the operation, the tugboat fleet overcame challenges such as high vessel density, complex navigation environments, and the facility's immense size.