Skangas bunkered liquefied natural gas (LNG) to the tanker vessel Ternsund in the Port of Gothenburg. It was the first time Skangas’ new bunker vessel Coralius operated in this port. Increased number of LNG fueled vessels drive bunker demand.
“We work closely with both ports and authorities to serve an increasing number of European vessels with LNG”, says Gunnar Helmen, Sales Manager Marine in Skangas. “In this case the Swedish authorities “Transportstyrelsen” overlooked the operation as they are currently developing LNG guidelines for Swedish ports. Soon, the fleet of LNG driven vessels only with Swedish shipowners will double. Up to now we have bunkered LNG by trucks in the Port of Gothenburg. Our bunkering vessel is yet another manner to meet the demand.”
A ship-to-ship (s-t-s) bunkering is often the preferred solution for transferring fuel. It offers a flexibility in transfer location, wherever the vessel is located, and a swift operation.
The receiving vessel, Ternsund, is an oil and chemical tanker build in 2016 for the shipping company Terntank. She has a LNG dual-fuel engine from Wärtsila. Currently she serves under time charter deal with Finnish North European Oil Trade (NEOT) distributing products from the Gothenburg area.
LNG is the cleanest available marine fuel, one that is rapidly becoming more commonly viewed – and used - as a cost-effective alternative. LNG is suitable for all vessel types, including ferries, passenger ships, tankers, bulk, supply and containerships. LNG offers several benefits by reducing local pollution preserving the global environment. Switching to LNG completely removes SOx and particles, and reduces NOx emissions by up to 85%. In addition, LNG reduces CO2 emissions by at least 20%. Use of LNG as marine fuel also results in compliance with current and forthcoming IMO and EU regulations.
Skangas expects the LNG demand for ships to increase significantly in next few years as responsible shipping companies are seeking cleaner fuel alternatives.
Source: Skangas