Total has carried out the first ship-to-container ship LNG bunkering in France, on April 30, while Titan LNG has announced a new vessel in Zeebrugge.
The company used the Gas Agility, the world’s largest LNG bunkering vessel, to refuel the CMA CGM Jacques Saade at the Port of Dunkirk. It provided around 16,400 cubic metres of LNG.
Total said this operation demonstrated the close co-operation of partners in the Green Loop consortium. This involves Total, Dunkerque LNG, Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) and CMA CGM. The group aims to cut carbon emissions for maritime transportation through the use of LNG bunkering in northern Europe.
“We are pleased to partner with Dunkerque LNG for this unprecedented operation, and to showcase the agility of our LNG bunkering solutions to serve the Northwestern Europe market,” said Total’s vice president marine fuels Jérôme Leprince-Ringuet.
The Total executive went on to say the company would “continue to grow our LNG bunker supply network”. This will “help our customers take advantage of the confirmed reduction in greenhouse gases of up to 23%”.
The companies took a number of steps in order to be able to carry out the bunkering. An existing jetty at Dunkerque LNG was adapted to allow LNG to be loaded onto bunkering vessels.
Dunkerque LNG CEO Olivier Heurtin noted the terminal’s close co-operation with Total. “This new chapter showcases the terminal’s commitment to provide the infrastructure and the services to unlock LNG as an alternative low-emission fuel for ships and heavy-duty road transport”.
The Gas Agility has provided more than 160,000 cubic metres of LNG in Rotterdam. Total will launch a sister ship of the Gas Agility in 2022, in the Mediterranean Sea. It will also launch a third bunkering vessel in Singapore the same year.
Krios plans
Titan LNG announced a development tender for a new bunkering barge, the Titan Krios. The vessel will be based in Zeebrugge and aims to provide a first delivery in 2023.
The vessel will have multiple tanks in order to segregate LNG and bio-LNG. HB Hunte Engineering designed the vessel, which will have 4,200 cubic metres of capacity.
“With the new Titan Krios joining our expanding fleet, we will continue our efforts to enable a more sustainable future for shipping through global accessibility to LNG, bio-LNG and eventually clean LNG produced from green hydrogen,” said Titan LNG’s commercial director marine Michael Schaap.