STS LNG bunkering operations commence at Zeebrugge

The bunkering vessel, Engie Zeebrugge, provided LNG as a marine fuel to the M/V Auto Eco and M/V Auto Energy – two new gas-propelled pure car and truck carriers (PCTCs) of UECC. The operations were carried out at the same time that the cargo operations for the PCTCs were being conducted.

Engie Zeebrugge is the first purpose-built LNG bunkering vessel in the world. It arrived in Zeebrugge at the beginning of April following a 38-day maiden voyage from Hanjin Heavy Industries & Construction Co. Ltd in Busan, South Korea. The vessel is now executing a weekly service to UECC’s PCTCs, and is the first LNG bunkering vessel in the world to carry out regular STS bunkering operations. It loads LNG at Fluxys’ LNG terminal, which recently commissioned a second jetty, specifically designed for also receiving very small LNG carriers.

The bunkering vessel is jointly owned by Engie, Mitsubishi Corp., NYK Line and Fluxys. It has an LNG capacity of 5000 m³ and will service all types of shipping customers in Northern Europe from its home port of Zeebrugge, under the Gas4Sea brand.

Read the article online at: https://www.lngindustry.com/lng-shipping/14062017/sts-lng-bunkering-operations-commence-at-zeebrugge/