Finnish state-owned energy firm Gasum completed its first ship-to-ship LNG bunkering operations in the German port of Hamburg.
Gasum said in a statement that the first LNG bunkering operation took place on October 24 and the firm delivered liquefied natural gas to MSC Cruises’ LNG-powered, MSC Euribia, with the 5,800-cbm bunkering vessel, Coralius.
Switzerland-based cruise operator MSC Cruises held a naming ceremony for its second LNG-powered cruise vessel, MSC Euribia, in the Danish capital Copenhagen on June 8.
During its maiden voyage from Chantiers de l’Atlantique in France to Copenhagen, the 331 meters long vessel ran on bio-LNG supplied by Gasum.
Besides LNG, at its home port during the winter season 2023–2024 in Hamburg, MSC Euribia will also use a shore power facility to reduce emissions even further.
One day after the first bunkering operation in Hamburg, Gasum also bunkered Van Oord’s LNG-powered hopper dredger Vox Ariane.
Gasum also used Coralius for this operation.
Dutch marine contractor Van Oord christened this LNG-powered trailing suction hopper dredger in Rotterdam in June last year.
This is the first of three such LNG-powered vessels for Van Oord and the firm took delivery of the third vessel earlier this year.
LNG station
Besides its LNG bunkering business, Gasum keeps expanding its network of LNG fueling stations for vehicles.
Gasum said in a separate statement on October 30 that it has opened its newest gas filling station in Keminmaa, Finland.
The new station is the first gas filling station in Finnish Lapland, Gasum’s second northernmost filling station, and Europe’s northernmost liquefied biogas (LBG), or bio-LNG, filling station, the firm claims.
Also, the Keminmaa station serves heavy-duty transport and passenger cars since it allows refueling with liquefied and compressed biogas, it said.