On May 19, 2018, the new build chemical tanker “Fure Vinga” bunkered LNG for the first time in Europe, receiving 120 tons of LNG in a truck-to-ship operation in the port of Cartagena. In total, 6 trucks of LNG were brought to the Spanish port and transferred to the vessel.
“We are glad that the first LNG bunker operation for Fure Vinga in Europe has been completed smoothly, thanks to the cooperation of all parties involved in the bunker operation, including the ship’s crew and port authorities, as well as the profound preparation by Gas Natural Fenosa and Nauticor”, said Lars Höglund, CEO of Furetank in the aftermath of the bunker operation.
Nauticor GmbH & Co. KG and Gas Natural Fenosa decided to join forces and cooperate in order to jointly enable this operation, enlarging their LNG bunkering network and adding further evidence of the Europe-wide availability of LNG as marine fuel. “Combining our LNG expertise has made this bunkering a complete success, evidencing to the customer that the availability of LNG as a bunker fuel is improving by the day”, stated Mahinde Abeynaike, CEO of Nauticor. “With this type of cooperation it is evident that the use of LNG as a marine fuel is an economic, real and available solution for shipping companies, guaranteeing supply in ports of different areas”, Joaquin Mendiluce General Manager of Gas Natural Comercializadora said.
Swedish flagged “Fure Vinga” is the first of a series of six new build chemical tankers and owned and operated by Donsö based LNG frontrunner Furetank. The vessel is the second LNG-fuelled ship in the company’s fleet after the retrofitted chemical tanker “Fure West”, which has been running on LNG since 2015.
GNF has led innovative LNG solutions in recent years, and is committed to leading the development of the LNG bunker in Iberia both through specific supplies such as the one made to the Fure Vinga, and long-term contracts such as the one signed with Balearia.