Rotterdam to be European LNG hub

The Port of Rotterdam started its first LNG bunkering operation for a sea-going vessel on Tuesday.

News ID: 68099

Date: 10 August 2016 - 10:00

According to MANA, the chemical tanker Ternsund arrived in Rotterdam for the first time to unload naphtha and gas oil at Vopak in the Botlek. On Monday afternoon, the ship was shifted a terminal at the Willem Alexanderhaven for the bunkering operation.
First, the temperature of the fuel tank was cooled down from ambient temperature to operating temperature. With the aid of nitrogen, the temperature was reduced from +20 °C to -162 °C in eighteen hours. Then the actual bunkering of Shell LNG started. The bunkering will be completed on Wednesday morning, and the vessel will then continue to Gothenburg.
Ternsund is the first newbuilt LNG-fuelled product tanker. The vessel arrived in Rotterdam as part of its maiden voyage from China to Singapore for loading cargo and then on to Malta and Rotterdam for discharge.
The Port of Rotterdam Authority aims to turn the port into a major European LNG hub. By using LNG, inland vessels, coasters, ferries and heavy transport can reduce CO2 emissions up to 20 percent and NOx emissions up to 85 percent. Sulphur and particulate matter emissions are reduced to practically zero.