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Seaspan Energy announced on Monday it had secured bunkering accreditation from the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority (VFPA).
This accreditation authorizes Seaspan Energy to conduct ship-to-ship LNG bunkering for LNG-fueled vessels calling at the port of Vancouver.
Seaspan is a group of Canadian companies primarily involved in coastal marine, transportation, bunker fueling, ship repair, and shipbuilding services on the West Coast of North America. Seaspan Energy is part of this group.
“Being the first company to receive this LNG bunkering accreditation from the VFPA is a very meaningful step towards the start-up of our Vancouver-based LNG bunker hub,” Harly Penner, Seaspan Energy’s senior VP said.
Three LNG bunkering vessels
Seaspan Energy is working towards operating three 112m-long LNG bunkering vessels named after West Coast mountains; Seaspan Garibaldi, Seaspan Lions, and Seaspan Baker.
Both Seaspan Garibaldi and Seaspan Lions will “enter into service soon and will provide LNG bunkering services on the West Coast of North America,” the company said.
China’s Nantong CIMC Sinopacific Offshore & Engineering recently handed over the second LNG bunkering vessel to Seaspan Energy, the 7,500-cbm Seaspan Lions.
Like its sister vessel, Seaspan Garibaldi, which CIMC SOE delivered in August, the newbuild is 112.8 meters long, 18.6 meters wide, 5 meters deep, and has a design speed of 13 knots.
In July, CIMC SOE floated out the third vessel, Seaspan Baker.
Each vessel features two IMO-type C cylindrical tanks and an LNG sub-cooling system to facilitate cargo conditioning during transit and anchorage.
Panama LNG bunkering
As part of its deal with AES, the first vessel Seaspan Garibaldi will next year work in the Panama region.
Seaspan signed a memorandum of understanding with US energy firm AES in October last year to provide LNG as fuel for vessels from the Costa Norte LNG terminal in Panama.
The two firms plan to launch Panama LNG bunkering operations in March 2025.