Posted on August 23, 2023
French energy producer TotalEnergies has announced the bunkering of one of its very large crude carriers (VLCCs) with liquefied natural gas (LNG) at the port of Rotterdam.
Revealed today (21st August),TotalEnergies has delivered a total of 2,900 metric tonnes of LNG to its chartered VLCC the Antonis Angelicoussis via delivery vessel the Gas Agility.
“Our experienced Geneva-based LNG bunker trading desk is strengthened by Gas Agility’s presence at the ARA hub and her sister ship Gas Vitality’s presence at Marseille covering the Mediterranean hub,” said Lousie Tricoire, Vice President of TotalEnergies Marine Fuels, in a LinkedIn post.
“It’s really exciting to see the rise in spot deals for LNG bunker fuel, on top of our term contracts, as it signals the LNG bunkering market is getting more mature.”
“We believe LNG will continue playing a key role in the shipping industry’s decarbonisation journey, which is another reason why such spot sales are really important: the more deals we do like this, the more LNG bunkering will become a mainstay of decarbonisation in shipping,” she added.
According to SEA-LNG, in combination with efficiency measures being developed for new ships in response to its Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI), LNG provides a way to meet the IMO’s decarbonisation target of a 40% decrease by 2030 for international shipping.
The organisation reiterated the virtues of LNG, citing its potential to reduce Sox and particulates to negligible levels and NOx by up to 95%.
“It is proven safe, reduces Sox and particulates to negligible levels and NOx by up to 95%,” stated the organisation in a 2021 OpEd.
“We know that in combination with existing design efficiency measures it can enable a shipowner to achieve the IMO’s 2030 target of reducing CO2 emissions by 40% compared to 2008.”
It admits that – while LNG it not the end game – it may be the starting point to get to Net Zero. Through the uptake of Bio and eventually synthetic LNG, it @provides a very clear and achievable pathway which can start today.”
However, challenges still remain in the form of scaling up the production of clean alternatives such as Bio- and synthetic LNG.
