Petronas, Sumitomo Team up in LNG Bunkering

Malaysian gas supplier Petronas and Japanese conglomerate Sumitomo have signed a memorandum on joint marketing and supply of LNG bunkering services in Malaysia and Japan, the companies said on February 11.

While Petronas will provide bunkering services to Sumitomo's shipping customers at the Malaysian ports of Johor and Malacca, Sumitomo will offer the same for Petronas' customers in the Tokyo bay area.  Therefore both sides will be able to expand outside their respective markets without having to invest in new bunkering assets or infrastructure. Singapore's Pavilion Energy and Finland's Gasum formed a similar pact last October.

Petronas made its foray into the LNG bunkering in November, after receiving its first bunkering vessel, the Avenir Advantage. Petronas also signed a memorandum earlier this week with Japan's Jera to collaborate in LNG bunkering and supply chains for ammonia and hydrogen. Sumitimo's Ecobunker joint venture with YKIP and Uyeno Marine Service launched their first bunkering vessel, Ecobunker Tokyo Bay, last summer.