Avenir conducts first STS LNG bunkering operation at Port of Klaipeda
Avenir has successfully completed the first ship-to-ship LNG bunkering operation at the Port of Klaipeda in Lithuania, Port of Klaipeda announced on April 11.
On April 9, Avenir Aspiration conducted the bunkering operation, delivering 326 m3 of LNG to the 170-meter-long CMA CGM container vessel Containerships Aurora. CMA CGM operates three LNG-powered vessels in the Baltic Sea, with regular calls at the Port of Klaipeda. Plans are underway to expand the LNG-powered vessel fleet to six in the near future.
“The possibility to bunker LNG container vessels in the Port of Klaipeda is a strong sign that the port infrastructure is adapting in line with carbon zero targets in shipping. CMA CGM plans to have Klaipeda Port as a regular spot for LNG vessel bunkering”, said Saulius Kazakevicius, general manager at CMA CGM Lithuania.
Avenir, currently operating five LNG transport and bunker vessels globally, is a key player in the LNG and bio-LNG supply chain in the Baltic Sea region. In addition to its fleet of vessels, Avenir owns an LNG import and storage terminal in the Port of Oristano, Sardinia.
The Port of Klaipeda serves as an important transport hub in Lithuania, handling approximately 6,000 ships per year across 33 specialised terminals. The port facilitates various types of cargo, including containers, ro-ro, dry bulk, liquid bulk, general, and project cargoes, as well as catering to half a million passengers annually.