Shell in charter agreement for LNG bunker barge

Shell Trading Company has expanded its marine liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering network by finalising a long-term charter agreement with Q-LNG Transport, LLC.

The agreement is for a LNG bunker barge that has the capacity to hold 4,000 cubic meters of the fuel.

This will be the first of its kind in the US, and will serve to supply marine customers on the south east coast of America.

“This investment in LNG as a marine fuel for the US will provide the shipping industry with a fuel that helps meet tougher emissions regulations from 2020,” stated Maarten Wetselaar, Integrated Gas and New Energies Director at Shell.

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“Our commitment in the Americas builds on Shell's existing LNG bunkering activities in Singapore and Europe, as well as recently announced plans in the Middle East and gives us the ability to deliver LNG as a marine fuel to customers around the world.”

Q-LNG Transport will own and build the barge, with Harvey Gulf International, LLC operating the boat.

The bunker barge is expected to be highly efficient and manoeuvrable due to its innovative design and features, including a transfer system that allows it to load LNG from both big and small terminals whilst bunkering a variety of customers.