Sept 30 (Reuters) - Vopak has entered into an

exclusive agreement with shipping firm Seapeak to provide a

floating and regasification unit for its liquefied natural gas

import terminal project in Australia, the Dutch tank storage

firm said on Tuesday.

The agreement comes months after the energy storage operator

entered into discussions with suppliers and offtakers for

advancing the Port Philip Bay terminal in Victoria, Australia's

largest gas-consuming state.

Vopak's Victorian energy terminal is one of four proposed

across Australia's southeastern states to meet domestic gas

needs, as regulators warn there could be shortages as soon as

2027.

This step places the terminal in a strong position to

provide energy certainty for Victoria from 2029, the company

said.