EPIK adds bunkering services to proposed Newcastle GasDock LNG project

South Korea’s Energy Projects and Infrastructure Korea (EPIK) plans to add LNG bunkering services at its proposed Newcastle GasDock LNG import terminal in New South Wales, Australia.

The addition of the LNG bunkering services aims to support the maritime industry in its shift towards cleaner-burning marine fuel, EPIK said in its statement on Wednesday.

“The addition of LNG bunkering is a logical extension of the Newcastle GasDock project and will allow our customers to take advantage of LNG’s demonstrated environmental benefits, helping to reduce carbon emissions globally and dramatically reducing marine emissions locally,” said EPIK managing director, Jee Yoon. “Given the Port of Newcastle’s considerable industrial marine traffic and proximity to Sydney, our project provides an ideal platform to add LNG bunkering operations.”

EPIK’s Newcastle GasDock project requires limited additional infrastructure and would be a first for the region.

The Port of Newcastle, which welcomes more than 2,000 ship visits each year, and other nearby ports including Sydney represent high-potential LNG bunker fuel markets, with steady and significant marine traffic.

The cruise industry, in particular, has distinguished itself as a major early adopter of LNG as a marine fuel and EPIK expects that the Sydney Harbour cruise sector, with over 300 annual cruise ship port calls, could require more than a quarter of a million tons of LNG annually over the coming years.

Similarly, bulk carriers, which make up a significant portion of Port of Newcastle marine traffic, could generate considerable new demand for LNG bunker fuel in the region over the coming years.

Recent announcements by major international shipping companies operating in ports across Australia and around the world further demonstrate the enthusiasm for LNG.

Of the available alternative marine fuels, LNG is increasingly seen as the fuel of choice due to its substantial environmental and cost advantages. The introduction of IMO 2020 regulations limiting sulphur content down from 3.5 per cent m/m (mass by mass) to less than 0.5 per cent m/m, among other factors, is driving more rapid adoption of cleaner marine fuel systems. Further, certain designated Emission Control Areas (ECAs) require the sulphur content to be below 0.1 per cent m/m, making it harder and more costly for traditional low-sulphur marine fuel to comply.

While Australian coastal waters are not currently classified as an ECA, some analysts anticipate a future ECA designation, which will require many shippers to invest in cleaner fueling systems in order to comply. The Newcastle GasDock project would provide the necessary infrastructure to provide shippers with LNG.

To remind, the project is a proposed LNG import terminal at the Port of Newcastle, NSW, featuring a floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU).

The company anticipates operations commencing in line with market requirements ahead of the peak winter 2023 demand period. Relevant engineering and environmental works are ongoing in support of this timeline.