Botas, a unit of Turkish Petroleum Corp, is joining forces with compatriot Arkas Bunkering and Japan’s Sumitomo to develop LNG bunkering infrastructure in Turkey.
The partners signed a deal under which they would work on establishing Turkey as a bunkering hub for LNG supply in the Eastern Mediterranean, according to a statement by Botas.
The global fleet of LNG-powered vessels continues to grow but Turkey currently has no facilities to fuel these ships.
This deal would help the firms to work on a bunkering network in the country as owners increasingly opt for LNG-powered ships to cut emissions and due to more stringent IMO rules.
Arkas Bunkering is a unit of Arkas Holding, an established maritime transportation firm in Turkey.
On the other side, Sumitomo has ordered an LNG bunkering vessel through a joint venture, Ecobunker Shipping, as it plans to boost the use of LNG as fuel in Japan and help develop a bunkering hub in Tokyo Bay. The firm also signed a deal this year with Petronas to work on LNG bunkering in Japan and Malaysia.
Turkey currently imports LNG via four terminals. The country has earlier this year launched a new FSRU, owned by Botas, at the Dortyol facility in the southern province of Hatay.