Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) says it is the world's first chemical company to commission LNG-run gas carriers. SABIC's new tankships will be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) to transport its olefins products, in anticipation of a European Union directive to drastically reduce sulphur emissions from vessels operating in the North Sea by 2015. The two new gas carriers will be used to transport olefins from a major plant on Teesside, England, to ports in North-West Europe and Scandinavia. “SABIC feels a strong sense of responsibility towards sustainability and the environment,” says Michel Wintraecken, SABIC Manager Sourcing & Contracting, Supply Chain Chemicals Europe.