The world’s second LNG-powered sea going tug, the Bokn of Buksér og Berging AS, was bunkered by LNGEurope B.V. at the Port of Civitavecchia (Rome) on Friday May 16th. With assistance of the Dutch company, Civitavecchia has become the first port to perform “truck to ship” bunkering of LNG to a seagoing vessel within an Italian coastal port or any port in Italy and this part of the Mediterranean.
M/T Bokn is the second identical tug ordered by the Norwegian Buksér og Berging AS at Sanmar Shipyard in Turkey. In order to arrive at her destination, Kårstø in Norway, the Bokn is bunkering in Italy, Spain and Belgium. At Karsto, the Bokn will serve her long term contract for Statoil. The bunkering activity in both Civitavecchia and Zeebrugge will be executed by LNGEurope’s team.
“This LNG bunkering is of the greatest importance to the port. Firstly, we show that we are in the fore front of developments and secondly we are proud to have the first LNG truck-to-ship bunkering in Italy,” said Calogero Giuseppe Burgio, Director of Environmental & Technological Development Division, Port of Civitavecchia.
The LNG fueling operation is executed by one of LNGEurope’s trailers, positioned alongside the ship and connected to the ship’s fuel tank. It was prepared and planned in cooperation with the Civitavecchia Port Authority, the Harbor Master, the Fire Fighting Department, ConferenzaGNL and Wilhelmsen Ships Agency (Genova Head Office).
Koos Blaazer, General Manager of LNGEurope also commented: “This successful bunkering operation confirms the belief of LNGEurope that these safe bunkering operations will become routine for a steadily growing fleet of LNG fueled ships, not only in Civitavecchia, but worldwide.”
Source: LNGEurope
