Successful first LNG bunkering

The first ship-to-ship LNG bunkering at the Port of Södertälje was performed on 12 September 2019. This was not only the first LNG bunkering in the Port of Södertälje but also the first simultaneous operations (SIMOPS) LNG bunkering on the Baltic Sea, performed in conjunction with the unloading of fuel, a procedure that demands additional safety measures.

– The first quayside ship-to-ship LNG bunkering at the Port of Södertälje was a great success, with good cooperation between terminal and port personnel and crews on the vessels. Sustainable fuel alternatives such as LNG are a step in the right direction for the Port of Södertälje, which is working strategically to reduce emissions and environmental impact. By supporting the development of solutions that are good for both business and the environment, we are investing in the port’s future, explains Åsa Boström, operations controller at the Port of Södertälje.

A year of preparation

150 tonnes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) were bunkered between Kairos – the world’s largest bunker supply vessel for LNG – and the tanker Ternsund, chartered by the Finnish fuel supply company North European Oil Trade (NEOT).

While the quayside bunkering operation itself took approximately four hours, it was preceded by a great deal of work and long planning. Preparations have been underway for around a year to equip the port for ship-to-ship bunkering operations.

Safe bunkering

– A number of safety measures are implemented when LNG is bunkered. We have worked for a long time to establish rigorous operating procedures and prepare risk analyses and checklists so that we can ensure safe bunkering operations, with everything in both Swedish and English, explains Åsa Boström.

Liquefied natural gas (LNG) reduces emissions of environmentally harmful substances, especially sulphur, nitrogen and carbon dioxide. LNG is currently the cleanest marine fuel available to large-scale shipping.