American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) said on Monday it was selected by FueLNG to class Singapore’s first liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunker barge.
The vessel is scheduled to begin construction in January 2019.
The LNG bunkering barge, with 7,500 cubic meters of LNG capacity, will be owned and operated by FueLNG, a joint venture between the Hague-based LNG giant Shell and Singapore’s Keppel Offshore & Marine.
The vessel will be based in the Port of Singapore and will supply necessary LNG fuel to large ocean-going LNG-fueled vessels throughout the region.
To help spur the project, Singapore’s Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) recently granted up to $3 million to FueLNG to build the barge.
To remind, Keppel Offshore & Marine through its unit, Keppel Singmarine, has secured an S$50 million ($37.5 million) contract from FueLNG to build the vessel.
“This project is an important milestone for the region and is a key component of Singapore’s strategy to become the world’s largest bunkering port,” ABS Vice President Global Gas Solutions, Patrick Janssens said in the statement.
“LNG as fuel has become an increasingly popular option for many shipowners looking to comply with environmental requirements and gain new operational efficiencies. Projects like this are critical to help expand the LNG supply chain and advance adoption of LNG as fuel,” Janssens added.