CLPe and CNOOC complete Hong Kong’s first LNG bunkering with simultaneous cargo operation

The operation integrated bunkering and cargo operations in a streamlined process, enabling Hanoi Express to be filled with LNG within 24 hours while loading and unloading cargo at Kwai Tsing Container Terminals, significantly reducing its port turnaround time and operating costs.

The LNG bunkering operation was conducted by CNOOC’s Haiyang Shiyou 301, which is 184.7 m long and 28.1 m wide. As the first domestically built LNG bunkering vessel in the Mainland, it is equipped with both LNG transportation and bunkering capabilities and is designed primarily to supply fuel to international maritime vessels. Haiyang Shiyou 301 is also the largest LNG bunkering and transport vessel in the world, with a storage capacity of 30 000 m³ and a refuelling rate of 1650 m3/h.

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has set a target for the industry to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by or around 2050. The HKSAR Government released an Action Plan on Green Maritime Fuel Bunkering last year and enacted the Shipping Legislation (Use of Fuels and Miscellaneous Amendments) Ordinance 2024 this year, promoting the city’s development into an international green maritime fuel bunkering centre.

Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Mable Chan, said: “The success of this operation was made possible by the joint efforts of LNG supplier CNOOC and LNG bunker seller CLPe. Conducting bunkering during cargo operations – and with the bunkering of green maritime fuel which reduces carbon emissions – truly delivers a synergistic effect where one plus one is greater than two.” Chan predicted the simultaneous operation would encourage the bunkering sector in Hong Kong to provide more services for vessels using LNG and other green maritime fuels. This would also give international shipping lines greater confidence and convenience in choosing the Hong Kong port for bunkering, cargo handling, and related operations, she suggested.

CLP Holdings CEO, T. K. Chiang, remarked that Hong Kong’s strategic geographic location makes it an ideal international shipping centre. As one of the world’s top 10 bunkering centres, the city welcomes over 5000 ocean-going vessels every year, and the switch to low-carbon and net-zero marine fuels is a growing trend in the global shipping industry.

Chiang added: “This pioneering collaboration between CLPe and CNOOC not only advances Hong Kong’s development as a world-class green marine fuel bunkering hub, but also strengthens our ties with CNOOC, a key energy supplier to the Mainland maritime industry. This co-operation will help accelerate the green transformation of the national shipping industry and enhance the entire eco-system.”

Guangzhou Municipal Commerce Bureau Deputy Director, Wu Wei-hau, said enhanced co-operation between Hong Kong and Guangzhou in the development of green marine fuel would play a key role in providing more internationally competitive green shipping services in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

“We will strengthen collaboration with Hong Kong’s maritime industry, deepening cooperation in key areas such as green shipping hubs and high-value-added supply chain services,” he explained. “This will help consolidate Hong Kong’s position as a global shipping centre and make the Greater Bay Area a strategic anchor in the new development paradigm."

CNOOC Gas and Power Group Co., Ltd Chief Financial Officer, Kang Huahua, stated that the successful completion of this LNG bunkering operation would significantly enhance Hong Kong’s bunker supply capabilities, while also pioneering an innovative model for the deep integration of green ports and modern shipping systems. He added, “Moving forward, we will continue to leverage our strengths across the entire LNG industry chain and work closely with partners such as CLPe to further deepen collaboration with all sectors in Hong Kong. Together, we will promote the development of international LNG bunkering services and strive constantly for higher quality, efficiency, and standards.”

A spokesperson of the Hong Kong Seaport Alliance commented: “The successful operations demonstrate that Hong Kong is capable of providing world-class LNG bunkering services, further enhancing our port’s position as a key international maritime hub. Hong Kong is also well-positioned to offer shipping lines access to a diverse fuel mix that aligns with their decarbonisation goals.”

In November 2024, CLPe and CNOOC announced plans for a joint venture to provide LNG bunkering services in Hong Kong, aiming to accelerate the green transformation of the shipping industry. This bunkering operation serves as a pilot project for the partnership, paving the way for future cooperation and attracting international oceangoing vessels to Hong Kong by offering environmentally friendly, efficient, and convenient green marine fuel bunkering services.

Read the article online at: https://www.lngindustry.com/small-scale-lng/11062025/clpe-and-cnooc-complete-hong-kongs-first-lng-bunkering-with-simultaneous-cargo-operation/