New LNG bunkering brand launched

ENGIE, Mitsubishi Corp. and NYK Line have announced the launch of a new brand for their joint marketing of LNG as a marine fuel around the world: Gas4Sea.

Gas4Sea aims to lead innovation through the ship-to-ship (STS) supply of LNG for the maritime sector.

The companies concluded a framework agreement for a partnership to develop LNG bunkering services in 2014. By combining NYK's shipping expertise with ENGIE and Mitsubishi Corp.'s LNG supply portfolio and terminal access under the brand Gas4Sea, the partners will offer a cleaner, reliable, safe, and cost-effective service to shipping customers worldwide. The companies will also be able to tailor their LNG supply chains to their customers' needs.

The partners will begin operations in 4Q16, using a purpose-built LNG bunkering vessel with a 5000 m³ LNG capacity. Designed to adapt to the largest range of customers, it will be able to bunker vessels at the Belgian port of Zeebrugge, as well as other nearby ports.

The partners will expand their LNG bunkering services under Gas4Sea to meet more customers' needs into other regions, in collaboration with stakeholders including shipping companies, port authorities, terminal operators, regional suppliers, and local governments and regulators.

Philip Olivier, CEO of ENGIE Global LNG, said: "Continuing ENGIE's long history of innovation, we are proud to launch this first global LNG bunkering service together with our longstanding partners. In the general framework of energy transition, we believe LNG has a key role to play in developing a more sustainable shipping activity. In the coming months, we will start supplying United European Car Carriers' new dual fuel car carriers operating in the North Sea and Baltic Sea."

Jun Nishizawa, SVP and Deputy COO of Mitsubishi Corp.'s Natural Gas Business Division, said: "At Mitsubishi Corp., we continue to strive as a responsible energy supplier to contribute to the reduction of environmental impact leveraging on our half an century experience in LNG. We are at the juncture of achieving substantial emissions reductions in the maritime sector. Through our partnership with ENGIE and NYK, we hope to expedite shipping companies' transition to LNG by placing ourselves as a key piece in the global marine LNG supply chain."

Hitoshi Nagasawa, Senior Managing Corporate Officer of NYK Line, added: "As a leading global shipping company, NYK is also striving to find reliable and environmentally sustainable solutions to help address society's need to reduce emissions. We believe that the use of LNG as a marine fuel is a key innovation in this search and through Gas4Sea, using the world’s first purpose-built LNG bunkering vessel, we and our partners ENGIE and Mitsubishi Corp. will offer ship owners and operators the opportunity to participate in this innovation and further enhance our industry's ability to operate in a more environmentally responsible way."

Edited from press release by Callum O'Reilly

Read the article online at: https://www.lngindustry.com/liquid-natural-gas/06092016/new-lng-bunkering-brand-launched-3011/