Viking Cruise Vessel Marks 1,000 LNG Bunkering Milestone

Viking Line says that, through its partnership with AGA Gas, the M/S Seagas has performed its 1,000th LNG bunkering of the M/S Viking Grace.

Viking Line Abp (Viking Line) Thursday said it had marked an "environmental milestone" with its liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered vessel M/S Viking Grace having now been bunkered with LNG 1,000 times.

At the time of the vessel's delivery in 2013, Viking Grace was said to be the "most environmentally friendly large cruise vessel ever built," as well as the first large passenger vessel to run on LNG.

Viking Line says that, through its partnership with AGA Gas AB (AGA), the M/S Seagas - said to be the first such vessel to be classified according to the same regulations used for ocean-going LNG tankers - has performed its 1,000th LNG bunkering of the Viking Grace.

Seagas is noted to supply the Viking Grace with 60 tonne stems of LNG in the mornings, while the vessel is docked at Stadsgården, Stockholm.

"We are obviously delighted with the positive response we have had from Viking Line regarding the Seagas and our bunkering solution," said Jonas Åkermark, head of LNG marine market at AGA.

"There is still heavy interest in the Seagas, our ship- to-ship bunkering solution and LNG as a marine fuel both in Sweden and internationally. We have a well-functioning infrastructure solution in place in Stockholm and the possibility of bunkering more vessels."

Viking Line says that, while it had expected some skepticism to be drawn by the company's decision to utilise LNG bunkers, the response has been "incredibly positive," with Viking Line having been applauded for the environmental values that it says the Viking Grace represents.

"We are really pleased about having used LNG to fuel the M/S Viking Grace," said Jan Hanses, President and CEO of Viking Line.

"Both the technical solution developed by AGA and the vessel's operation have outperformed expectations, and it is gratifying to note the major benefits for the workplace along with the environmental gains that running on LNG provides."

In February, Singapore-based consultancy TRI-ZEN said low oil prices were making the path to adoption of LNG as a marine fuel unclear.