Total, the world’s second-largest LNG player, said that its first large liquefied natural gas bunker vessel has been launched at the Chinese Hudong-Zhonghua shipyard.
The vessel will operate under a long-term charter contract between Total and Mitsui O.S.K Lines (MOL) in February 2018, Total reminded in its statement.
After delivery in 2020, the bunker vessel will operate in Northern Europe, where it will supply LNG to commercial vessels, including 300,000 tons per year for CMA CGM’s nine ultra-large newbuild containerships in Europe-Asia trade, for a period of at least 10 years.
The LNG bunker vessel’s construction is in line with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) decision to drastically limit the sulfur content of marine fuels as of 2020.
“Developing infrastructure like this giant bunker vessel is essential to allow LNG to become a widely used marine fuel,” said Momar Nguer, president for Total Marketing & Services.
Built by Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding at their shipyard near Shanghai, the bunker vessel will have a capacity of 18,600 cubic meters, with containment technology provided by the French company GTT.