Sinanju Logistics Services revealed Friday that it has entered into a two-year time charter agreement with ExxonMobil Asia Pacific for a dual-fuel LNG-fuelled bunker tanker under construction in China.
ExxonMobil will thus become the first bunker supplier to use an LNG-fuelled bunker tanker in Singaporean waters.
The agreement was signed on 25 July, said Sinanju, the tanker operating arm of Sinanju Tankers Holdings.
“Sinanju is delighted to enter into a new phase of collaboration with ExxonMobil, with whom we have had a long and successful working relationship. As responsible stakeholders of the maritime industry, we are stepping up to promote the use of LNG as a sustainable alternative marine fuel to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and we encourage more of such bunker tankers to operate in Singapore,” said Ju Kai Meng, Sinanju’s managing director.
The 7,990-dwt Marine Vicky is currently under construction at Keppel Offshore & Marine’s shipyard in Nantong, China. It is scheduled to be completed in December and will go into service during the first quarter of 2020.
The ship is equipped with a 55-cbm LNG tank paired with a fuel gas supply system on deck for engine propulsion.
The charter is described as being part of ExxonMobil’s commitment to its engineered marine fuels, such as EMF.5, and Singapore’s green port programmes.
Under the Maritime Singapore Green Port Programme, registered vessels that are serviced by alternative or cleaner marine-fuelled harbour craft during their port stay – such as receiving bunkers from LNG-fuelled bunker tankers – stand to receive a 10% concession on port dues.
“ExxonMobil is glad to be partnering Sinanju in its effort to reduce emissions in its operations. We are committed to doing our part to meet the demand for cleaner marine fuel supplies safely and reliably, while at the same time, reduce environmental impact and provide sustainable solutions,” said Koh Sing Liang, Asia Pacific sales director of ExxonMobil Marine Fuels.
Ju described Sinanju’s building of the LNG-fuelled bunker tanker as a precursor to the company operating LNG bunker supply vessels.
LNG bunkering in Singapore is currently carried out by truck. The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) told TradeWinds this week that a total of close to 130 truck-to-ship LNG bunkering operations have taken place to date at the Port of Singapore.
The port’s first ship-to-ship LNG bunkering operation took place earlier this year, and its first LNG bunker supply vessel, which is being built by Sembcorp Marine and is being co-funded by the MPA, will be managed by Sinanju when it is delivered in early 2021.
“The Technical Reference for LNG Bunkering (TR56:2017) to skill up for the safe and efficient handling of LNG is in place and we have a budding but comprehensive infrastructure to support the supply and use of LNG as a marine fuel at the world’s largest bunkering port,” Ju explained.
“We will now focus on competence building through hands-on operations of this LNG-powered bunker tanker. I believe the invaluable experience garnered will serve as a strong foundation towards our preparation to embark on ship-to-ship LNG bunker deliveries from 2021,” he added.
Sinanju currently has 12 conventional bunker tankers operating in Singapore.
