Partners to Supply Natural Gas to France’s 1st LNG-Powered Ferry

Total Marine Fuels Global Solutions (TMFGS), the Total affiliate responsible for marketing marine fuels worldwide, and French shipping company Brittany Ferries have signed a multi-year contract to supply LNG bunker to the Honfleur in the port of Ouistreham, France.

In late June, Brittany Ferries confirmed its order for the new ship, the first LNG-powered French cruise ferry, which will operate between Ouistreham and Portsmouth, England, from 2019.

LNG’s environmental performance is set to make it a particularly “attractive solution” for shipping, allowing operators to meet the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) new sulfur regulations, applicable in Emission Control Areas (ECA) since 2015 and worldwide from 2020. LNG also reduces emissions of nitrogen oxide (NOx), particles and CO₂. TMFGS said it is supporting the growth of this new marine fuel as it intends to become a major player in this market.

To address the lack of LNG infrastructure in the ports served by the Honfleur, TMFGS has partnered with two other French companies, Dunkerque LNG and Groupe Charles André (CGA) to implement an innovative supply chain using ISO containers for LNG bunkering.

The agreement with Dunkerque LNG covers the construction of an automated truck loading dock where the containers will be filled with LNG.

Additionally, the agreement with CGA includes the supply and transportation of ISO containers equipped with geolocation trackers and pressure sensors.

Transported by truck from the LNG terminal of Dunkirk to the port of Ouistreham, the containers will be lifted aboard the cruise ferry using onboard cranes, to supply a fixed LNG storage tank at the rear of the superstructure. Once empty, the containers will be offloaded at the next call at Ouistreham and replaced by full containers.

“The agreement with Brittany Ferries is a landmark one — our first contract to supply LNG bunker. In addition, the work carried out with Dunkerque LNG and Groupe Charles André has made it possible to supply the LNG by developing a safe, innovative logistics solution thanks in particular to the digitalization of container tracking,” Olivier Jouny, Managing Director of TMFGS, commented.

“The shipping industry needs access to LNG. This partnership demonstrates that unique, local solutions can be developed to supply LNG to ships. In the first step of the upcoming energy transformation, Brittany Ferries intends to make LNG the preferred fuel for its future owned newbuilds,” Frédéric Pouget, Group Maritime Port and Operations Director of Brittany Ferries, pointed out.