Pakistan has floated a fresh tender to import a spot LNG cargo amid continuing gas shortages affecting power generation.
State-run Pakistan LNG Limited (PLL) invited international suppliers to bid for 140,000 cubic meters of LNG for early September delivery.
The cargo is required at Port Qasim between September 4 and September 8, 2026. The quantity will have a tolerance of plus or minus five percent.
The emergency procurement comes as a shortage of re-gasified liquefied natural gas continues to put pressure on the power sector.
The LNG shortage has contributed to prolonged electricity outages across the country. The government recently apologized to consumers over the extended load shedding.
Authorities had linked part of the electricity shortage to inadequate LNG supplies for power generation.
PLL issued the latest tender on August 30. Bidders were required to submit their offers by 2 PM on September 1.
Technical bids will be opened at 2:30 PM. Commercial bids from technically qualified suppliers will then be opened at 3:30 PM.
PLL plans to award the contract on the same day. The submitted bids will remain valid until 10 PM on September 1.
The LNG cargo will be delivered on a Delivered Ex Ship basis to the Pakistan Gas Port Consortium Limited terminal at Port Qasim in Karachi.
The contract will be awarded to the technically compliant bidder offering the lowest evaluated price in US dollars per million British thermal units.
The procurement is being conducted under a single-stage, two-envelope process. Suppliers must submit separate technical and commercial proposals.
Bidders must also meet specific eligibility requirements set by PLL. Suppliers are required to demonstrate that they delivered at least eight LNG cargoes during the previous 24 months.
Each bidder must submit a $300,000 bid bond as part of the tender process. The successful supplier will also have to provide an unconditional performance guarantee.
The performance guarantee will equal 10 percent of the total contract value.
The latest tender highlights Pakistan’s efforts to secure additional LNG supplies as the power sector faces fuel shortages.
Interestingly, Pakistan did not make any spot LNG purchases during August. Only one LNG cargo arrived under the country’s long-term agreement with Qatar during the month.
In July, PLL procured five spot LNG cargoes. However, no LNG cargo was received from Qatar under the government-to-government agreement that month.
The shortage of LNG has become a major concern for the country’s electricity supply. Gas-fired power plants rely heavily on LNG to meet generation requirements during periods of high demand.
The new tender is therefore aimed at securing additional fuel supplies and reducing pressure on the national power system.
Also read: Pakistan Faces Nighttime Load Shedding Again
