The Dutch Port of Rotterdam continues to boost liquefied natural gas bunkering operations as the world’s fleet of LNG-powered vessels rises.
LNG enjoyed substantial growth last year at Europe’s largest bunkering port with volumes reaching a total of over 0.2 million cubic meters.
This marks a 170% increase compared to the preceding year, according to the port.
Among several operations, the Dutch port hosted last year the world’s biggest LNG bunkering operation when the Total-chartered and MOL-owned Gas Agility delivered fuel to CMA CGM’s giant containership Jacques Saade.
Once delivered this year, the nine CMA CGM giants will be bunkering some 300,000 cbm of LNG in Rotterdam every year, substantially boosting the port’s throughput volumes in this segment.
The port of Rotterdam is a strong supporter of LNG as a bunker fuel and has developed one of the world’s biggest LNG fueling chains.
A total of ten LNG bunkering vessels operate in Rotterdam’s port area, of which three are working on a permanent basis, the port said.
Besides Jacques Saade, the port has last year welcomed many other new LNG-powered vessels including Heerema’s giant crane vessel Sleipnir, the P&O Cruises cruise ship Iona, but also Carnival Cruise Line’s Mardi Gras.
Shell is also one of the biggest bunkering suppliers in the Rotterdam area sourcing LNG from the Gate terminal, owned by Gasunie and Vopak.
According to SEA LNG, a total of 177 LNG-powered sea-going vessels were in service worldwide as of January 2021.
Additionally, shipyards around the globe received orders for another 230 LNG-powered vessels.