EVOL LNG to Bunker LNG at Western Australia's Fremantle Ports

EVOL LNG on Thursday said it has got approval, a first in Australia, to bunker LNG at Fremantle Ports in Western Australia. 

The availability of LNG as a bunker fuel, which will be delivered from EVOL LNG’s Kwinana LNG plant, will pave the way for LNG-fuelled ships to visit the port, and provide the option for local ferries and workboats to switch to the lower-cost, lower-emission fuel.

It will also see Fremantle Port become part of a growing global LNG bunkering network which includes major ports in Europe, North America, Qatar, Singapore, Japan and Korea as well as more than 40 other ports from around the world which bunker LNG, or have plans to do so.

 “Our decision to provide LNG bunkering to the shipping industry is based on a long-term strategy,” EVOL LNG’s Business Manager, Nick Rea, said. “Over the past decade, we’ve seen the number of LNG-fuelled ships in operation worldwide increase steadily from a handful to more than 70, with an additional 80 to be built in coming years.”

Mr Rea said that growth had largely been driven by the introduction of emission regulations, such as Emission Control Areas in Europe and North America, and the expectation of better returns than by operating on low-sulphur fuels or installing exhaust scrubber systems.

EVOL LNG will be able to supply its customers with LNG at a price that is competitive with low-sulphur marine diesel and will be able to refuel ships at up to 45 tonnes per hour of LNG, which is comparable to refuelling with traditional bunker fuels, the company stated.