SEALNG, the industry coalition promoting the use of LNG as a marine fuel, has been joined by Mitsui & Co. and Sumitomo Corporation.
Mitsui has invested in 11 LNG projects, 8 of which are in production, and the company has been proactive in LNG bunkering, participating in an LNG bunkering pilot programme in Singapore and signing an MoU with Gazprom to cooperate in LNG bunkering studies, SEALNG said in a statement.
Kenichiro Yamaguchi , general manager of gas business development division at Mitsui, said, “as the IMO’s global sulphur cap approaches in 2020, we continue to continuously advocate for cleaner energy, including the promotion of LNG as a marine fuel.”
The coalition has previously been joined by Russia’s Novatek , the company developing the 16.5 mtpa Yamal LNG project.
The company aims to enter prospective LNG market segments, including bunkering, Novatek’s head Leonid Mikhelson said.
“Global environmental requirements create the basis for transiting the global fleet towards cleaner types of fuels. We are confident that more shipping companies will opt for LNG to meet these stricter requirements, and we are ready to facilitate the LNG bunkering market and infrastructure development,” he said.
Sumitomo’s executive officer and general manager of energy division, Shuichi Suzuki, said joining the coalition is in line with the company’s strategy to promote LNG as a marine fuel.
With the new additions, the SEALNG coalition now has 29 members.