First Ship-to-Containership LNG Bunkering Ops in Port of Marseille Fos’

TotalEnergies and CMA CGM launched Marseilles’ inaugural ship-to-containership Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) bunkering operation in the Port of Marseille Fos, Southern France.

CMA CGM BALI, a 15,000 TEU LNG-powered containership is deployed on the MEX 1service, connecting Asia and South Europe. The ship was refuelled by TotalEnergies’ Gas Vitality, the first LNG bunker vessel based in France, with around 6,000 cu. m. of LNG, by means of a ship-to-ship transfer alongside the Eurofos container terminal, while the containership carried out cargo operations simultaneously. 

Gas Vitality is a 135 meters long and a GTT Mark III membrane vessel, and TotalEnergies' second chartered LNG bunker vessel and owned by Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd (MOL). Technical features include:

• Increased loading and bunkering rate by 25%, to a maximum of 2000 cu. m./hr, through upgraded cargo pumps.
• New pressure reduction system to optimize bunkering operations of ‘Type C’ tank vessels under all conditions.
• Azimuth propellers and two bow thrusters, delivering an extremely high degree of maneuverability enabling tug-free operations in port and further reducing the environmental impact of her operations.
• Two manifolds for enhanced ship-to-ship bunkering flexibility across vessel types and sizes.
• Equipped to offer Electronic Bunker Delivery Notes (e-BDN) to her customers.
• Onboard re-liquefaction of the boil-off gas, which is further used for propulsion and for the vessel’s own power generation.