UK's first LNG bunkering

Photo: ABP

On August 16th the vessel Ireland, operated by KGJ Cement, was refuelled with Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) in the Port of Immingham.

The bunkering was conducted by Flogas Britain, with the assistance of Associated British Ports (ABP), Immingham port's managers.

"At Flogas, we pride ourselves on leading the way when it comes to developing the LNG industry in the UK, and exploring new opportunities for end users to benefit from this highly versatile fuel. There is great potential for LNG in the maritime industry as a more environmentally-friendly alternative to traditional oil-based bunker fuels, but until now this potential has remained untapped here in the UK," Lee Gannon, Managing Director, Flogas, said. 

Mark Frith, Port Manager for ABP Immingham and Grimsby, commented, "We are proud to be a key part of this flagship operation, which has really put the UK on the map as the latest European hub for more climate-friendly bunkering. Demand is already beginning to shift away from oil across the international fleet, and we very much see natural gas taking its place as the marine fuel of choice. We look forward to welcoming increasing numbers of ships to Immingham as a result of our new and unique offering in partnership with Flogas."

Lee Gannon added, "We're very pleased to have partnered with the country's leading port operator, ABP, to turn vision into reality; our specialist expertise and theirs have come together perfectly to make this the success we knew it could be. We're looking forward to working with ABP and other prospective partners on future projects – especially as the popularity of LNG continues to gather pace in the maritime industry, in line with an increasing focus on reducing environmental impact."