Shell, Keppel in Singapore's LNG Bunker First

Shell and Singapore conglomerate Keppel, through their joint venture, FueLNG, have completed Singapore’s first commercial LNG bunker transfer.

They did so by bunkering the floating liquefaction vessel, Hilli Episeyo, with the use of a truck loaded with LNG, Keppel said September 25. 

Hilli Episeyo is to be deployed this autumn offshore Cameroon where it will be West Africa's first producing FLNG venture and the second anywhere in the world following Malaysia's PFLNG. The vessel currently however remains berthed in Singapore, according to ship tracking services.

The LNG bunker transfer to Hilli Episeyo was carried out in batches between July 23 to September 23, 2017. It was the first LNG refueling operation by FueLNG since it enabled Singapore LNG in June 2017 to gas-up, cool-down and reload the Shell LNG bunker vessel, Cardissa.

FueLNG has also secured contracts from Keppel Smit Towage and Maju Maritime to provide LNG bunkering services for two dual-fuel LNG harbour tugs. These contracts will commence in 2018 when construction of the tugs is completed, it informed.

In order to promote Singapore as an LNG bunker-ready port, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) earlier this year launched its LNG bunkering pilot programme (LBPP) whereby the authority has provided grants of up to S$2mn to firms for every LNG-powered vessel constructed.

The industry is poised to pursue greener and more sustainable solutions with the implementation of environmental regulations such as the UN International Maritime Organisation's new 0.5% global sulphur cap on fuel content effective from January 1, 2020.

Shardul Sharma