The world's most powerful semi-submersible crane vessel received the largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering ever completed.
On Thursday, Titan LNG performed the bunkering of Heerema's Sleipnir, using the Coral Fraseri, Anthony Veder's LNG carrier in the Port of Rotterdam. The total quantity of LNG delivered was almost 3,300 metric tons, making this the largest LNG bunkering to have ever taken place.
Sleipnir arrived at the Port of Rotterdam on Sunday, March 22, following a global campaign, and the LNG bunkering delivery took less then 24 hours to complete. All companies involved followed strict government guidelines to protect their workforces during the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, Heerema said.
"Heerema is proud to have received the world's largest LNG bunkering. We are especially pleased that this achievement could take place in our home base of the Port of Rotterdam," Heerema's CEO, Koos-Jan van Brouwershaven. "The use of LNG on Sleipnir is one of many sustainability measures we have introduced, and we will continue to investigate ways to reduce our impact on the planet."
The record-setting vessel is fully outfitted with LED-lighting, has a hot/cold energy recovery system and is able to run on LNG. The use of LNG reduces emissions and emits less CO2 than other commonly used fuels.
Niels den Nijs, CEO of Titan LNG, commented that LNG bunkering is becoming a routine operation for the companies involved: "Building on our five previous deliveries around the globe, we formulated and safely executed our plan of operation."
"The Sleipnir demonstrates that it is financially advantageous to sail on LNG, even in remote parts of the world," den Nijs added.
Jan Valkier, CEO of Anthony Veder said, "By investing in dedicated LNG vessels since 2009, we have made an essential contribution to the availability of LNG for the power generation and LNG as a marine fuel."
Valkier said the bunkering marks "an important step for Rotterdam as an LNG bunkering hub."
"It is the port's ambition to be the greenest port in the world," said Allard Castelein, CEO of the Port of Rotterdam Authority. "Never before has a vessel bunkered as much LNG fuel as Sleipnir."
Castelein said the bunkering "plays tribute to Rotterdam being the ideal LNG hub for import, export, storage and bunkering."