Spanish energy company Repsol has offset the LNG used in the bunkering of a Furetank-owned chemical tanker newbuilding on its delivery voyage in the port of Cartagena in Spain.

The 17,999-dwt newbuilding Fure Vinga was supplied with 420 cbm of LNG in a four-hour operation carried out in collaboration with Enagas.

Repsol said this is the first time that it has guaranteed the compensation of the total CO2 emissions associated with the consumption of LNG bunkers.

The company said this was done through the purchase of CO2 credits —verified emission reductions, or VERs — in the voluntary carbon market.

Furetank managing director Lars Hoglund told TradeWinds that the credits were supplied from Spanish solar energy projects.

The Swedish-owned tanker was en route from China, where it was built, to Rotterdam in the Netherlands.

“With this new bunkering operation, in addition to consolidating its position as a supplier of LNG for maritime transport, Repsol achieves a new milestone," the Spanish company said.

Repsol explained that the supply of these carbon-neutral LNG bunkers was also a first for Spain and was made possible after a recent change in the Spanish gas regulations.

“Spanish ports are now able to compete with other European ports in this area,” the company said.

To date, Repsol has mainly been supplying LNG bunkers from trucks but the company is also developing LNG terminals in Bilbao and Santander.

“This is a further step towards the goal of becoming a zero net emissions company by 2050, offering shipowners the possibility of making their commercial routes more efficient and environmentally friendly,” the company said.