Total Charters LNG Bunker Ship from Mitsui OSK

Total said February 6 it has signed a long-term charter contract with Japanese shipowner Mitsui OSK Lines for a large LNG bunkering vessel of 18,600 m³ capacity, to be delivered in 2020.

The vessel will operate in northern Europe and, according to Total, be the first ever capable of supplying large quantities of LNG in one single bunkering operation.

With this vessel, Total Marine Fuels Global Solutions intends to serve the emerging LNG-fuelled containership market, including the supply of bunker fuel for French shipowner CMA CGM’s newbuild LNG mega container ships, following a ten-year contract of 300,000 metric tons/yr LNG supply contract signed with Total in December 2017.

This bunker vessel will be built by Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding in China, fitted with the Mark III membrane containment system provided by French company GTT, and not only owned but also managed by MOL.

Mitsui OSK Lines and Total also signed a memorandum of understanding to combine their expertise in the rollout of marine LNG refueling infrastructure and to serve MOL’s future LNG needs.