Singapore names its 1st LNG bunkering vessel

Singapore’s first LNG bunkering vessel FueLNG Bellina, was named today paving way for FueLNG, a joint venture between Keppel Offshore & Marine and Shell Eastern Petroleum, to be the first to provide regular ship-to-ship LNG bunkering within the nation’s port.

The bunkering vessel is scheduled to be operational by end-2020.

FueLNG will also provide LNG bunkering from Singapore’s first dedicated LNG bunkering facility scheduled to be built by Keppel O&M on its Floating Living Lab. Shell will be supplying the LNG to the facility when it becomes operational at the end of 2021.

“This occasion marks an important milestone in Singapore’s journey to achieve the IMO 2030 greenhouse gas emissions target. It is our next step towards regular ship-to-ship LNG bunkering activities in Singapore. As we progress towards a low-carbon future, we will intensify our efforts to develop the Port of Singapore into a global LNG bunkering hub,” Chee Hong Tat, Singapore’s Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Transport & Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said.

The 7,500m³ vessel, designed and built by Keppel O&M, is set to arrive in Singapore later this year from the Keppel Nantong Shipyard in China.

Specifications

• Designed with a barge-like extended flat surface to provide bunker to a wide range of vessels at heights ranging from 3m to 23m above water level
• Features two stern azimuth thrusters and one bow thruster enabling a high degree of manoeuvrability.
• Filling rate range of 100-1000m³ of LNG per hour
• Harnesses boil-off gas as fuel for power generation and propulsion, thus reducing CO₂, particulate matter and NO_x emissions
• The entire bunkering process is monitored and executed on a digital platform

Keppel said that FueLNG Bellina is the world’s first bunkering vessel with Smart Notation. It is equipped with Keppel O&M’s proprietary VesselCare solutions which enable remote monitoring and real-time support of vessel operations.

When operational, the vessel’s first contracts will be to provide ship-to-ship LNG bunkering to the Shell-chartered tankers and for one of Hapag Lloyd’s container vessels.

“We are looking to reduce our carbon emissions and LNG propulsion in our ships is one of the key contributors. Singapore is a significant port of call and we are pleased that there will be the necessary infrastructure provided by FueLNG for us to bunker our LNG-powered vessels,” Jan Christensen, Senior Director Global Fuel Purchasing at Hapag Lloyd, said .

Tahir Faruqui, Director, FueLNG and Head of Downstream LNG, Shell, said LNG will play a critical role in the journey towards zero-emission fuels while zero and low-carbon fuels are being developed.