French energy company Total will supply LNG to the Brittany Ferries-operated Honfleur in the port of Ouistreham, northern France on a long term contract, it said July 10.

 

It is the first such contract for both parties: Total had not signed a term bunkering contract before and it will be the French ferry operator's first LNG-fuelled ferry, now being built in Germany. It will sail between the UK port of Plymouth and Ouistreham, in the French region of Normandy, from 2019. 

 

The statement made no reference to the duration or how the LNG would be priced: normally for bunkering it is sold at a discount to marine gasoil, with which it competes, but it could also be sold against the Dutch gas hub, the Title Transfer Facility. With today's low oil prices though this question is less critical.

 

To address the lack of LNG infrastructure in the ports served by the Honfleur, Total has partnered with two other French companies to implement an innovative supply chain using ISO containers. An agreement with Dunkerque LNG covers the construction of an automated truck loading dock where the containers will be filled with LNG. The agreement with Groupe Charles Andre covers the supply and transportation of ISO containers equipped with geolocation trackers and pressure sensors. All the containers will be trucked by vehicles that also run on LNG.

 

Transported by truck from the LNG terminal of Dunkirk to the port of Ouistreham, the containers will be lifted aboard the cruise ferry using onboard cranes, to supply a fixed LNG storage tank at the rear of the superstructure. Once empty, the containers will be offloaded at the next call at Ouistreham and replaced by full containers.

 

Brittany Ferries said it was committed to improving its environmental footprint: LNG has none of the particulates that come with marine gas oil, the standard fuel until tighter regulations on sulphur come into place: "The shipping industry needs access to LNG. In the first step of the upcoming energy transformation, Brittany Ferries intends to make LNG the preferred fuel for its future owned newbuilds.” It noted that other ferry lines such as Viking Line and Tallink, as well as cruise lines like Carnival, Aida and MSC, have all turned to LNG. It confirmed its £175mn order for Honfleur last month with Flensburger Schiffbau yard in Germany.

 

Dunkerque LNG said the tank truck loading dock "broadens our offering, capturing more value from our facilities. It is the first step toward other infrastructure for LNG fuel.”

 

William Powell