A laden LNG carrier has gone alongside Shell’s huge floating LNG production unit Prelude off the north-west coast of Australia this week, in a first for the pioneering facility.

Global LNG flow forecaster iGIS/LNG said the Shell-controlled, 137,001-cbm Gallina (built 2002) finally “mated” with Prelude at its location 475 kilometres (295 miles) north-east of Broome on Monday.

However, the LNG monitoring service said there is as yet no sign of flaring or compressor burn from the FLNG unit.