Nauticor, a subsidiary of the Nordic energy company Gasum, has conducted the initial ship-to-ship liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering operation for the newbuild cruise ship Iona. It was the first ship-to-ship LNG bunkering operation to be carried out in the German port of Bremerhaven. The bunkering operation was conducted by LNG bunker supply vessel (BSV) Kairos, which became a part of Gasum’s fleet of LNG BSV when the company took over Nauticor’s marine bunkering business in April 2020.
Iona is one of the world’s first LNG-fuelled cruise ships. It is currently in the final outfitting phase at the Meyer Werft shipyard. The ship is one of several vessels that will be operated by Carnival Corporation, which owns a number of different brands. It will join the fleet of P&O Cruises after the outfitting and sea trials are completed.
“The bunkering operation was a great success because of a close co-operation between our teams onshore and at sea and the shipyard. Kairos has proven again that the vessel is a valuable asset for us in our aim to develop the Northern European market for LNG as maritime fuel,” said Jacob Granqvist, Gasum’s sales director for LNG Maritime.
LNG is becoming the most used alternative to traditional fuels. It is suitable for all vessel types and meets all the current regulations set out by the International Maritime Organization and the EU.
