March 17 - GAC has set up an operations office in Japan to cater for the growing demand for ship agency and husbandry services in light of the country's burgeoning energy sector.

GAC Japan will act as a general agent to provide services at all ports and terminals through its local partners.

GAC's Asia Pacific group vice president Fredrik Nystrom said that increasing Japanese imports of LNG and thermal coal, as a result of the government's revised energy policy, have boosted the country's shipping sector and raised the demand for industry support services.

"The Japanese government has made LNG the first 'fuel of choice' for power generation, and this is good news for ship agency service providers like GAC, as more LNG shipments arrive from conventional and new supply sources at the country's major LNG import terminals," said Nystrom.

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