Gasum, Sirius Shipping order LNG, bio-LNG bunker vessel in Türkiye

Finland-based energy company Gasum and Swedish shipping company Sirius Shipping have placed an order for 7,800 cbm liquefied natural gas (LNG) and bio-LNG bunker vessel at RMK Marine shipyard in Türkiye.

The 112.9-meter-long vessel, to be named Celsius, will be equipped with a ‘highly efficient’ propulsion system and the latest technology to serve clients in the LNG segment.

Scheduled for delivery in 2027, the bunker vessel will be owned by a joint venture between Gasum and Sirius Shipping. Gasum will charter the ship to increase LNG and bio-LNG availability in the Northwestern European maritime market where demand is set to increase in the coming years. The number of LNG-powered dual-fuel vessels calling at ports in Northwestern Europe is growing significantly.

The two companies have been collaborating for several years. Gasum has been the charterer of the bunker vessel Coralius since 2017 and Sirius Shipping has been managing Gasum’s bunkering vessel Seagas since 2012.

“Ship owners are now seeing that switching to LNG and bio-LNG is one of the best ways of reducing emissions in maritime logistics already today, instead of waiting for other technologies that have not yet reached maturity or the required scale or infrastructure. This state-of-the-art bunker vessel is an important investment in our ability to continue to deliver the quality service our customers expect from us now and in the future,” Mika Wiljanen, Gasum CEO, commented.

“This newbuilding project is proof of that we are getting closer towards our vision – to become the long term first choice, for our colleagues, customers, and for society. We’re proud to be able to continue the collaboration with Gasum that started in 2012, and with this new and improved LNG vessel, it will continue for decades,” Jonas Backman, Managing Director of Sirius Shipping, said.

According to the companies, several things have been vital in designing an updated version of the bunker vessel — experience gathered by both Gasum and Sirius Shipping as well as the crew of the Coralius during the last eight years and nearly 1,000 bunkerings so far.

This has led to, for example, better fuel efficiency, improved tank insulation, larger cargo capacity, and improved fender handling for safety and efficiency.

Specifically, there will be a hybrid battery for peak shaving, both for the main engine and auxilliary engines, and a safety backup. The vessel will also feature a gas combustion unit of 27,7 MW that will enable it to perform cooling down and warming up services to other vessels’ fuel tanks or cargo tanks.

With the latest order, Sirius now has a total of seven units on order – one 7,800 cbm LNG bunker vessel, two 15,000 dwt methanol-ready tankers and four 7,999 dwt tankers.

In 2024, Gasum launched together with Finnish shipping company Wasaline the maritime pooling service to provide FuelEU Maritime regulation compliance as a service to companies operating vessels on traditional fuels.

Using LNG in maritime transport means complete removal of sulfur oxides (SOx) and particles, and reduction of nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions of up to 85 percent as well as a reduction in CO2 emissions by at least 20 percent. Liquefied biomethane, bio-LNG, on the other hand, is a fully renewable fuel with life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions that are, on average, 90% lower when compared with the use of traditional fuel such as marine gasoil (MGO).

• SEA-LNG: Bio-LNG bunkering is available in almost 70 locations