Bangladesh will import three cargoes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the spot market in May to meet the country's natural gas demand that soars in summer.

State-run Rupantarita Prakritik Gas Company Ltd (RPGCL) floated tenders last week for deliveries in May when the two floating storage and regasification units (FSRUs) are expected to remain operational, a senior RPGCL official told the FE Thursday.

He said the bid winners will deliver the LNG cargoes during May 4-5, May 9-10 and May 14-15 windows, he said.

The spot LNG import in May is, however, 25 per cent less than April's scheduled import of four.

Apart from the spot cargoes, Bangladesh has planned to import six LNG cargoes from two long-term LNG suppliers - QatarEnergy and OQ Trading- in May.

RPGCL, a wholly owned subsidiary of state-run Petrobangla, looks after LNG trading in Bangladesh.

Of the four spot LNG cargoes to be delivered next month, US's Excelerate Energy LP will deliver April 15-16 cargo at a cost of US$ 9.79 per million British thermal unit (MMBTu) and Gunvor Singapore Pte Ltd will deliver April 21-22 LNG cargo at a cost of $ 9.37 per MMBTu.

Vitol Asia Pte Ltd will deliver two spot LNG cargoes over April 26-27 and April 29-30 deliveries at the cost of US $9.47 per MMBTu and $9.23 per MMBTu respectively.

All the four LNG cargoes will be supplied at Moheshkhali islands, with option to discharge the cargo at either of the country's two floating storage regasification units (FSRUs), said the official.

The volume of LNG in each of the cargoes will be around 3.36 million MMBtu .

The government has a plan to import 24 LNG cargoes from the spot market in 2024 compared to the current year's 23, said a senior Petrobangla official.

If the spot LNG prices become more favourable, Petrobangla might purchase more spot LNG cargoes in 2024, he said.

The Energy and Mineral Resources Division has so far approved importing 13 LNG cargoes in the first half (January-June) of 2024.