Evol LNG to provide bunkering at Fremantle port

Western Australia-based Evol LNG says it will deliver “an Australian first” following the announcement that Fremantle Port Authority has approved the company’s plans to offer liquefied natural gas (LNG) truck-to-ship bunkering.

Evol LNG says it will supply LNG-fuelled ships calling at the leading Western Australia port at a rate of up to 45 tonnes an hour and at a “competitive” price compared with low sulphur marine diesel. It also hopes to expand bunkering services to other ports in Australia.

The company said in a statement: “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 South Korea, as well as more than 40 other ports from around the world which bunker LNG, or have plans to do so.”

Research carried out earlier this year by Marine Propulsion’s sister publication LNG World Shipping found 34 ports able to supply LNG as bunker fuel – but not one in Australia which, despite its ample gas reserves, remained an LNG bunkering cold spot.

In supply terms, however, Australia is very well placed to develop LNG as marine fuel. With 10 LNG production and export projects, the country will also become the world’s leading exporter of the gas by 2019.