First Avenir LNG Bunker Barge Launched in China

The shipyard building bunker barges for gas supplier Avenir LNG has launched the first of the vessels, the company said Wednesday.

Nantong CIMC Sinopacific Offshore & Engineering has launched the 7,500 m3 vessel, it said in a statement on its LinkedIn account.

Avenir LNG is a joint venture formed between gas and chemical carrier Stolt-Nielson, Golar LNG and Höegh LNG Holdings.

The JV is aimed at the small-scale LNG logistics for the power, bunkering, trucking and industrial markets.

Stolt-Nielsen ordered two small-scale LNG ships with ship-to-ship LNG bunkering capabilities in May 2017, and ordered two more in December 2018.

LNG bunkering infrastructure is now developing rapidly, after a slow start a few years ago, and LNG is now available for ship-to-ship bunkering at most major marine fuel hubs.