Osaka Bay sees first ship-to-ship LNG bunkering

Osaka Gas has completed the first ship-to-ship (STS) LNG bunkering operation in Osaka Bay, supplying LNG to an LNG-fuelled pure car and truck carrier (PCTC) calling at the Port of Kobe in Japan.

The operation was carried out using Seto Azure, an LNG bunkering vessel owned by Osaka Bay LNG Shipping, an affiliate of Osaka Gas, the firm said in an announcement on Friday.

Marine fuels trading firm Integr8 Fuels arranged the LNG stem to the PCTC, which is operated by an overseas shipping company.

Osaka Gas said the operation will help strengthen LNG fuel availability in the Osaka Bay area and support the Port of Kobe’s development as a Carbon Neutral Port.

The company already supplies LNG through truck-to-ship and port-to-ship bunkering. The addition of STS bunkering gives Osaka Gas coverage of all three major LNG bunkering methods. Osaka Gas said LNG can reduce CO2 emissions compared with conventional fuel oil, while e-methane-based LNG and bio-LNG could provide further emissions reductions over the longer term.

The company said Japan still needs to expand its LNG bunkering infrastructure to support the growing fleet of LNG-fuelled vessels.