Singapore’s first LNG bunkering ship FueLNG Bellina, owned by Keppel Offshore & Marine and Shell, has completed its first cool-down operation at the Jurong Island terminal before it starts serving vessels in the region.
The bunkering ship carried out its first cool-down operation at the Singapore LNG-operated terminal on March 10.
“The cargo tanks of a bunker vessel need to be cooled down in a controlled manner to minus 130 degrees Celsius before LNG can be loaded in the tanks,” FueLNG said.
This is to ensure no thermal shock occurs to the cargo containment system, it said.
Following the completion of the operation, the bunkering vessel is now ready to start serving customers in the Singapore port.
FueLNG took delivery of the vessel at Keppel’s Nantong yard in early January after it departed to Singapore, where it started its commercial operations.
The 7,500-cbm dual-fuel bunkering vessel enables Shell and Keppel to be the first to provide regular ship-to-ship LNG bunkering services within the Singapore port.
FueLNG previously said the vessel’s first contracts would include bunkering Shell-chartered tankers and Hapag Lloyd’s container vessels.
Furthermore, the venture will also provide LNG fueling from Singapore’s first dedicated bunkering facility which Keppel O&M will build on its floating living lab.
As per specifications, the vessel has a filling rate range of up to 1000 cbm of LNG per hour.
Additionally, it will be able to supply LNG to various types of vessels at heights ranging from 3-23 meters above water level.