World News
Isle of Man Registry Backs LPG Bunkers
The Isle of Man Ship Registry has expressed its support for LPG as a bunker fuel after the successful conversion of the gas carrier BW Gemini.
"LNG is a more widely understood fuel, but LPG is being looked at with more scrutiny now," Bill Liddell, senior surveyor at the registry, said in a statement on its website on Wednesday.
"Previous codes were written for LNG and the wider perception is that LNG is ‘the’ fuel, but we’re trying to rewrite everything."
The registry supported BW LPG in its retrofitting of its very large gas carrier the BW Gemini last year to be capable of running on both conventional bunkers and LPG. The conversion was the first of 12 ordered by BW.
"We looked at safety, operating costs, transportation links, and the fact that LPG doesn’t need cryogenic containment, and by November 2019 “we” were satisfied that it would be cost-effective," Liddell said.
"BW LPG planned to carry out the work during dry dock periods to minimise the time taken out of service, because the process of retrofitting takes around two months."
"It’s not a perfect solution but it’s a bridging solution."
Earlier this week a group of companies in Singapore suggested LPG bunker delivery infrastructure could eventually be modified to deliver ammonia as a bunker fuel once it becomes available in sufficient quantities.
Key Bunker Prices More
| VLSFO | MGO | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $/mt | +/- | $/mt | +/- | |
| Singapore | 649.50 | 2.00 | 778.50 | 8.50 |
| Rotterdam | 602.00 | 0.50 | 748.00 | 6.00 |
| Houston | 624.00 | 5.00 | 792.00 | 3.50 |
| Fujairah | 649.50 | 2.00 | 898.00 | 3.00 |
| Global 20 Ports Average | 662.00 | 2.00 | 855.00 | 1.50 |
| Global 4 Ports Average | 631.00 | 1.00 | 804.00 | 0.50 |
| Global Average Bunker Price | 717.50 | 0.50 | 913.50 | 1.00 |
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