First bunkering of an LNG-fuelled chemical tanker in German Port

The Hamburg-based company Bomin Linde LNG successfully conducted the first bunkering of a chemical tanker with liquefied natural gas (LNG) in a German port when the vessel ‘Fure West’ received the chilled natural gas in the Port of Rostock on February 2nd. A total of four LNG trucks were unloaded onto the vessel operated by Swedish shipping company Furetank AB at Germany’s largest Baltic Sea port. According to Sonja Nesshoever, Director LNG Portfolio at Bomin Linde LNG, „The truck-to-ship bunkering process went smoothly thanks to the seamless coordination between the ship’s crew and our Bomin Linde experts onshore. I am glad that we were able to bring the partnership agreement between our two companies to life just weeks after it was signed.“

In 2015, the ‘Fure West’ became one of the first tankers to run on LNG when it was retrofitted by its owners. Since then, the Gothenburg-based frontrunner in the utilization of LNG as shipping fuel has gained significant experience with the environmentally friendly fuel and plans to extend its fleet of LNG-powered tankers. Together, Furetank and its partners in the Gothia Tanker Alliance have ordered a total of six LNG-fuelled newbuilds.

Lars Höglund, Managing Director of Furetank, said: „We are happy that we are able to bunker LNG in an increasing number of ports, including Rostock. Jointly developing the LNG market is the basis for successfully establishing LNG as ship fuel. We are glad to have Bomin Linde LNG as our partner, with whom we will not only extend our truck-to-ship supply but also ship-to-ship bunkering.“

Jens Aurel Scharner, Managing Director of Rostock Port added: "The bunkering of the ‘Fure West’ by the experienced German LNG supplier Bomin Linde LNG establishes Rostock as a prime location for the supply of alternative ship fuels. We are pleased to see that not only supply by truck, but also by a bunker vessel might be an option in the long-run".