Shell recently delivered its first ship-to-ship LNG bunkering from its specialised LNG bunker vessel ‘Cardissa’. This operation marked a number of other firsts, as it fueled the Russian Sovcomflot’s vessel ‘Gagarin Prospect’, the world’s first LNG-fueled Aframax tanker. It was also the first ship-to-ship LNG bunkering to take place in the Port of Rotterdam.
The fueling of the Gagarin Prospect with LNG is the first operation under the LNG fuel supply agreement between Shell and Sovcomflot signed in 2017. This pioneered the expansion of LNG fuel into the tanker industry and, in general, for vessels not tied to fixed routes or set timetables.
This exciting first for the Cardissa is a tangible example of Shell driving LNG as a cleaner burning and viable fuel for the shipping industry. It is highly appropriate that we celebrate this first with Sovcomflot and their first LNG powered tanker, which we also happen to charter,
…said Grahaeme Henderson, Vice President, Shell Shipping and Maritime.
Sergey Frank, President & CEO of Sovcomflot, added that the first tangible result of the agreement with Shell was the introduction into service of the world’s first LNG-powered Aframax tanker:
Her arrival and inaugural LNG bunkering, by Shell’s tanker Cardissa heralds a new age of more sustainable and environmentally responsible shipping – especially in the high traffic areas of the Baltic and North Seas, where this new class of ‘Green Aframaxes’ will operate. We are proud to partner with Shell and look forward to a bright and cleaner future, as more and more vessels opt for LNG as their primary fuel, and the associated LNG bunkering infrastructure is established in key ports worldwide.
Allard Castelein, CEO Port of Rotterdam, stressed that the Port of Rotterdam Authority highly values and actively supports a more sustainable transport sector:
As a result of cooperation with many parties like Shell and Sovcomflot we are leading the way in this transition. Compared to other fuels, LNG offers significant benefits to local air quality and contributes to the reduction of greenhouse gasses. We welcome the Gagarin Prospect and her sister vessels to our port and look forward to many more secure and efficient LNG bunker operations.
