Nauticor starts LNG bunkering operations in Port of Rotterdam

Nauticor, part of the Linde Group, extended its liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply network for ships within the North Sea region after starting deliveries in the Dutch Port of Rotterdam.

The first bunker operation by Nauticor in the Port of Rotterdam saw the container ship Wes Amelie, owned by Wessels Reederei, receive the chilled fuel. In total, the vessel received six truckloads, which is equal to 120 tons of LNG, during the bunker operation that took place on February 20, Nauticor’s statement reads.

Nauticor is currently in charge of organizing LNG supply for the vessel, which is currently chartered with Unifeeder and operates as a feeder vessel between Rotterdam and various ports in the Baltic Sea region, throughout Germany, and to the Dutch Port of Moerdijk.

This is the company’s first contract for a bunker operation in Rotterdam.

Speaking of the agreement, Sonja Neßhöver, Director of the LNG Portfolio of Nauticor, said, “We are continuously working on optimizing the LNG supply for ships and feel well-prepared for more bunker operations at this location. Another important milestone for the development of the LNG supply infrastructure in North & Baltic Seas will be our new LNG bunker vessel, which will be put into operation before the end of this year.”

Nauticor added that during its first bunker operation in the Port of Rotterdam, the company set a new record for the speed of a bunker operation with an unloading rate of up to 40 tons of LNG per hour. Two LNG trucks are unloaded simultaneously, which has now been successfully applied several times and allows for significant time savings, Nauticor said.