Gibraltar has seen the country’s first-ever LNG bunkering within British Gibraltar Territorial Waters (BGTW) with the arrival of the world’s biggest dual-fuel crane vessel Sleipnir.

As informed, Heerema Marine Contractors’ new semi submersible crane vessel (SSCV) Sleipnir was bunkered with more than 3,000 metric tons of LNG last week.

The operation has been the largest LNG bunker supply in Europe to date, according to Dutch LNG supplier Titan LNG. The project involved Titan’s LNG bunkering vessel Coral Fraseri.

“We thank the Port of Gibraltar for their support… The operation was performed in the sheltered bay helping to make this a safe, efficient and smooth operation…We look forward to supplying Heerema with more LNG in the future to fulfill Titan’s mission of lowering harmful emissions from the marine and industrial sector,” Niels den Nijs, CEO of Titan LNG, commented.

The SSCV anchored on the western side of Gibraltar on August 23, 2019, after leaving Singapore on July 5, briefly calling at Cape Town, South Africa, before heading to the Mediterranean.

With an overall length of 220 meters and a breadth of 102 meters, the 187,987 GT vessel can accommodate 400 persons.

Whilst at anchor in Gibraltar, the Sleipnir carried out a number of operations which included LNG bunkering. Gilbert Licudi, Gibraltar’s Minister with responsibility for the port and maritime affairs expressed his hopes that the operation was the start of more regular LNG bunkering activity within BGTW.

Source: World Maritime News website