The boss of Ineos has described the first shipment of shale gas from the US as a “hugely important day” for the Chemical giant.
Jim Ratcliffe is visiting his Grangemouth operations as the company marks the landmark first.
The Ineos Insight arrived carrying more than 27,000 gallons of ethane from US shale fields.
WATCH: First Ineos shale shipment arrives in Scotland
Ratcliffe said:”This is a hugely important day for Ineos and the UK. We are very excited about the kick-start shale gas can give to British manufacturing.”
“We are nearing the end of a hugely ambitious project that has taken us five years and cost $2billion, as we begin supply of ethane from shale to our sites in Europe.
“This is a world first and I am incredibly proud of everyone involved in it.
“I believe that Ineos is one of a very few companies in the world that could have pulled this off.”
The Insight is one of eight specially designed Dragon class ships which will form a fleet of the world’s largest ethane capable carriers.
The firm will use the ethane from US shale gas in its gas cracker at Grangemouth, both as fuel and as feedstock.
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