China’s Shanghai SIPG Energy Service (SSES) said it completed the first bunkering operation to an MSC containership with the large LNG bunkering vessel, Hai Gang Wei Lai.
During the operation on May 5, the 20,000-cbm Hai Gang Wei Lai delivered LNG to the 2023-built 15,000-teu MSC Kayley in Yangshan port, Shanghai, according to a statement by SSES.
SSES, which is a unit of SIPG and Shenergy, did not provide further information regarding the bunkering operation.
The firm announced in September last year that SIPG signed a framework LNG bunkering agreement with Switzerland-based shipping giant MSC to fuel the latter’s LNG-powered bunkering vessels.
The signing of the deal will further strengthen the long-term strategic partnership between SIPG and MSC, and boosts the development of the “clean energy” refueling center in the Shanghai port, SSES said.
MSC is the world’s largest container shipping firm in terms of capacity and has a fleet of 800 vessels, according to its website.
The company is building a huge fleet of LNG-powered containerships.
MSC Kayley is owned by Singapore’s EPS and chartered by MSC, according to VesselsValue data.
As per SSES, the firm completed the first LNG bunkering operation in March 2022 under a deal with France’s CMA CGM.
The JV said in October last year it completed more than 55 LNG bunkering operations to CMA CGM vessels, as well as vessels owned by EPS.
SIPG also recently signed a deal with South Korea’s HMM to bunker its vessels with LNG and methanol.