The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) has awarded S$6 million to FueLNG Pte Ltd and Pavilion Gas Pte Ltd for the building of two Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) bunker vessels, in a move that will help promote ship-to-ship LNG bunkering in Singapore.
FueLNG Pte Ltd and Pavilion Gas Pte Ltd will each receive a co-funding grant of up to S$3 million for their respective LNG bunker vessel. The vessels are slated for delivery in 2020, and will be amongst the first of their kind in Asia. This is a significant step towards cementing Singapore’s position as a leading LNG bunkering hub in the Far East, catering to large ocean-going LNG-fuelled vessels.
Mr Andrew Tan, Chief Executive of MPA, said, “LNG is a viable marine fuel solution to meet global environmental regulations such as the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) 0.5% global sulphur cap from 1 January 2020. As the world’s largest bunkering hub, we are pleased to support the building of the first two LNG bunker supply vessels for the Port of Singapore. We look forward to the successful applicants contributing to the growth of ship-to-ship LNG bunkering in the Port of Singapore.”
Mr Chris Ong, Chairman of FueLNG, said, “The MPA grant boosts our plans to provide ship-to-ship bunkering in addition to truck-to-ship bunkering for ship owners. Leveraging expertise from both Keppel and Shell, FueLNG aims to provide safe, cost-efficient and reliable solutions in LNG bunkering for global customers who pass through the Port of Singapore, which will encourage the adoption of LNG as a marine fuel.”
Mr Frédéric Barnaud, Group Chief Executive Officer of Pavilion Energy said, “We are pleased to receive the MPA grant for the construction of an LNG bunker vessel. Pavilion Gas’ commitment to build its LNG bunkering business and infrastructure in Singapore and globally is a strong signal to shipowners and the bunkering community that LNG is a credible solution to achieve IMO’s 2020 ruling.”
Source: MPA Singapore