Total Launches First LNG Bunker Vessel Following Contract With MOL
Total Launches First LNG Bunker Vessel Following Contract With MOL
Following the long term charter contract that was signed between Total and MOL in February 2018, Total has launched its first large LNG bunker vessel.
It will be delivered in 2020. It will then operate in Northern Europe to supply LNG to commercial vessels and also for CMA CGM’s nine ultra-large newbuild containers it will provide 300,000 tons per year I’m Europe-Asia trade for a period of at least 10 years.
The LNG bunker vessel has been constructed in accordance with the IMO’s regulations of limiting the sulphur content in marine fuels by 2020.
The change to LNG from heavy fuel is a competitive, efficient and immediately available solution for transportation in the maritime sector.
LNG as a marine fuel helps in the reduction of emissions from ships thereby, improving the air quality of the coastal areas and port cities. LNG helps to cut:
Sulfur emissions by 99%,
Fine particle emissions by 99%,
Nitrogen oxide emissions by 85%,
Greenhouse gases emissions by around 20%.
“Developing infrastructure like this giant bunker vessel is essential to allow LNG to become a widely used marine fuel,” said Momar Nguer, President for Total Marketing & Services. “This first ship demonstrates our commitment to offering our customers both more environmentally friendly fuels and associated logistics. Thanks to this pioneering investment, Total is making a positive contribution to the sustainable evolution of global shipping.”
The bunker vessel was built by Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding at their shipyard near Shanghai. It features innovative tank technologies that have a capacity of 18,600 cubic meters which is by the French Company GTT. Being highly maneuverable, even though it is 135 meters long it can safely operate in the ports and terminals. Due to the use of LNG as the ship fuel and the total reliquefaction of boil off the gas, the vessel is able to meet the environmental requirements.
Reference: https://www.total.com/en
