UPDATE - Strike in Trinidad halts Atlantic LNG exports
Tuesday March 9, 11:57 am ET
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, March 9 (Reuters) - Exports from Trinidad's Atlantic LNG liquefied natural gas (LNG) project, the top supplier of LNG to the United States, have been shut down due to a labor strike by workers from two contracting companies, an Atlantic spokesperson said on Tuesday.
"We are unable to supply gas, according to our contracts. This has tremendous implications for Atlantic's reputation and by extension, the reputation of Trinidad and Tobago as a reliable gas supplier," said Esther Le Gendre, Atlantic's manager of government and public affairs.
Four LNG tankers remained out at sea on Tuesday as tug-boat operators on Monday joined construction workers in protest action demanding increased wages. With tankers unable to load, storage tanks have filled to capacity.
"There are ships are out there, waiting for the end to this impasse. Our customers have...other customers in the U.S., in Europe, in Puerto Rico and we are unable to supply," Le Gendre said.
The construction and tug-boat workers are not employees of Atlantic LNG, but were employed by two contractors hired by the LNG company, she said.
Trinidad's government loses $2 million in tax revenues every day when Atlantic is unable to process natural gas. |
