Russia’s shipping major Sovcomflot has reached an LNG bunkering cooperation deal with Gazpromneft Marine Bunker, part of oil producer Gazprom Neft.
Under the agreement, signed during the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, the parties would work together on bunkering Sovcomflot’s tankers with LNG fuel in an effort to expand the use of the environmentally friendly fuel in the shipping industry.
Compared with traditional marine fuel, the use of LNG can significantly reduce emissions of sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, carbon dioxide and low dispersed particles.
“For several years, Sovcomflot has been systematically working to convert the tanker fleet to LNG fuel, and we welcome the opportunity to expand cooperation with the Gazprom Neft group in this direction, combining the efforts of our companies to introduce advanced environmental standards into the practice of Russian shipping,” Igor Tonkovidov, First Deputy General Director – Chief Engineer of PAO Sovcomflot, said.
The move was made ahead of the upcoming implementation date of the International Maritime Organization’s sulphur cap, scheduled to enter into force on January 1, 2020.
In 2018, Sovcomflot said it was the first company to start operating large-capacity oil tankers, the 114,000 dwt Aframaxes, using LNG as the main fuel. Today, six such tankers are being operated for exports of Russian oil in the Baltic and North Sea areas.
World Maritime News Staff