Port Canaveral welcomes Q-LNG’s bunkering barge but Mardi Gras is still in Europe

Port Canaveral recently welcomed the Shell-chartered Q-LNG bunkering barge at “America’s first LNG cruise port” but it will take a while for the arrival of Carnival’s giant cruise ship.

To remind, Shell completed the first bunkering operation with Q-LNG 4000 as part of a long-term charter contract in January following delivery at the VT Halter Marine yard in Pascagoula.

After that, the first offshore LNG articulated tug and barge in America departed to the Florida cruise port, docking at the new cruise terminal 3, where it will, among others, fuel Carnival Cruise Line’s Mardi Gras.

The barge will load LNG from a fuel distribution facility on Elba Island, Georgia.

“This project has been four years from concept to reality and we are excited to welcome the Q-LNG 4000 to fuel the next generation of cruise ships,” said John Murray, Port Canaveral CEO.

“We have been working closely with our cruise partners, all the federal and state regulatory agencies, and industry leaders to promote this industry initiative,” Murray said.

Port Canaveral welcomes Q-LNG's bunker barge but Mardi Gras is still in Europe
Image: Canaveral Port Authority

However, the first bunkering operations to Mardi Gras will wait for a while as the ship is still located in Barcelona, Spain. Carnival delayed its debut again to May due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. The vessel should soon depart to Florida.

Carnival took delivery of this newbuild at Finland’s Meyer Turku in December after the vessel bunkered LNG in Rotterdam, also by a Shell-chartered vessel, and then sailed to Barcelona.

In addition, Meyer Turku recently started building the sister vessel as well but this vessel should start sailing from Port Miami in November 2022.

Most Popular

Aramco eyes large LNG portfolio

Aramco's long-term ambition is to have a portfolio of 20 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) of LNG capacity, according to Aramco’s CEO, Amin Nasser.

Argentina’s Southern Energy takes FID on second FLNG

Argentina's Southern Energy takes FID on second FLNG

Energy Transfer in advanced talks to sell remaining Lake Charles LNG volumes

Texas-based Energy Transfer is in advanced discussions for the sale of the remaining offtake volumes from its proposed Lake Charles LNG export facility in Louisiana, according to its management.

More News Like This

Carnival orders two LNG-powered cruise ships at Fincantieri

Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri has secured an order worth more than $2.2 billion to build two LNG-powered vessels for Carnival's Aida Cruises.

Carnival orders three LNG-powered cruise ships at Fincantieri

Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri has secured an order to build three giant LNG-powered vessels for Miami-based Carnival Cruise Line, a...

Meyer Werft to build another LNG-powered cruise ship for Carnival

Germany’s Meyer Werft has won an order to build another LNG-fueled vessel for Miami-based Carnival Cruise Line, a unit...

Fincantieri delivers first LNG-powered ship to Princess Cruises

Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri has delivered the first of two LNG-powered cruise ships to Carnival’s Princess Cruises. Fincantieri said the 175,500-ton,...