EMEA News
LNG Bunkering Vessel Delivered to ENGIE, Fluxys, Mitsubishi, and NYK
ENGIE today announced that, along with Fluxys, Mitsubishi Corporation (Mitsubishi), and Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK), it has taken delivery of what it calls the world's first purpose built liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering vessel (LBV), ENGIE Zeebrugge.
As Ship & Bunker previously reported, the 5,100 cubic metre (cbm) capacity LNG vessel is intended to offer LNG bunkering services in the port of Zeebrugge.
"The two LNG-fuelled pure car and truck carriers (PCTC) operated by United European Car Carriers will be its first customers. ENGIE Zeebrugge will load LNG at Fluxys' LNG terminal in Zeebrugge, where small carriers with capacities from 2,000 m3 can dock at the recently commissioned second jetty," explained ENGIE.
ENGIE Zeebrugge will support Gas4Sea, the ENGIE, Mitsubishi, and NYK joint LNG bunkering venture, which is intended to promote the development of LNG as a marine fuel.
ENGIE says the new vessel "marks a milestone in the development of the European LNG bunkering chain. While LNG-fuelled ships up to now have been largely dependent on fixed bunker locations or the limited bunkering capacity of LNG trailers, ENGIE Zeebrugge, the first purpose built LNG bunkering vessel, has been designed to service a variety of LNG-fuelled ships."
As Ship & Bunker reported in October 2015, Belgium-based Fluxys announced that it has signed an agreement with ENGIE, Mitsubishi, and NYK to acquire a 25 percent stake in the vessel.
