Canada’s Port of Nanaimo hosts its first LNG bunkering operation

Canada’s Port of Nanaimo has witnessed its first LNG bunkering with compatriot shipowner Seaspan completing a ship-to-ship operation and marking a new milestone for the port.

According to Port of Nanaimo’s social media update, the inaugural LNG bunkering was conducted on June 3.

This ship-to-ship operation involved the 7,600 cubic meter (cbm) LNG bunker vessel Seaspan Garibaldi delivering LNG at anchor to Lake Saint Anne, the 7,000 CEU dual-fuel pure car and truck carrier (PCTC) chartered by EUKOR and managed by Eastern Pacific Shipping Limited (EPS). 

“With multiple successful LNG bunkering operations already completed in 2025 for car carriers, tankers, container ships, and cruise ships, Seaspan Energy is setting the standard for reliable LNG ship-to-ship bunkering on the West Coast of North America,” the port said.

Seaspan Energy became Canada’s first accredited supplier of LNG and completed its first ship-to-ship LNG transfer to a containership in the Port of Long Beach in 2024.

This milestone was followed by several inaugural LNG bunkering operations in the Port of Vancouver, including those with Japanese shipping company MOL, French titan CMA CGM, and cruise company Silversea Cruises.

In addition to Seaspan Garibaldi, Seaspan Energy currently operates two additional ship-to-ship LNG bunkering vessels on North America’s West Coast – Seaspan Lions and Seaspan Baker.

The 112-meter-long vessels were built by CIMC Sinopacific Offshore & Engineering (CIMC SOE) in China. The ships are fitted with a direct current power distribution system, supported by three dual-fuel generators, and propelled by two 1,600 KW azimuth thrusters, which are believed to enhance the environmental performance in terms of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) and operational pollution emissions while improving economic efficiency.