State-owned energy giant CNPC said it had completed the first ship-to-ship LNG bunkering operation with ENN’s newbuild in the Yantian port in Shenzhen.
The 8500-cbm Xin Ao Pu Tuo Hao delivered the fuel to the 23,000-teu, CMA CGM Sorbonne, in the Yantian international container terminal on November 22, according to a statement by CNPC.
French shipping group CMA CGM took delivery of this last of nine ultra-large LNG-powered containerships built in China in June last year.
The LNG-powered giant features WinGD’s dual-fuel engines as well as GTT’s 18,600-cbm fuel tank.
CNPC said the bunkering operation took about six hours and CMA CGM Sorbonne received about 7,000 cbm of LNG.
With this move, the port in Shenzhen becomes the second port in China to provide ship-to-ship LNG bunkering services after Shanghai, where Hai Gang Wei Lai fuels CMA CGM vessels as well.
A joint venture owned by PetroChina Kunlun Gas, Yantian Port Group, and Shenzhen Gas, operates the LNG bunkering business in Shenzhen, the statement said.
To remind, China’s Dalian Shipbuilding Industry (DSIC) delivered the first LNG bunkering vessel to compatriot independent gas distributor ENN in September this year.
Designed by China Ship Design & Research Center, the vessel features two type C tanks and Wartsila propulsion.
The ship has an overall length of about 119.3 meters, a width of 19.8 meters, and a depth of 11 meters.
This is the first domestic newbuilding LNG bunkering vessel classified into CCS.
Tianjin Southwest Maritime operates the vessel owned by ENN while CNPC’s unit PetroChina charters it.