Repsol, Enagás in European LNG bunkering first

Two Spanish companies, Repsol and Enagás have completed what they claim to be Europe’s first pipe-to-ship LNG bunkering at the Cartagena regasification terminal.

According to a company statement, Repsol provided the bunkering services at Enagás’ regasification plant in Cartagena to Damia Desgagnés, an asphalt-bitumen-chemical tanker built by the Turkish Besiktas shipyard for Quebec-based Transport Desgagnés.

In the operation that lasted five hours, the vessel received 370 cubic meters of LNG.

Repsol added that the amount represents the largest bunkering operation to date in Spain and for the company that handled all its previous LNG bunkering operations of up to 320 cubic meters by tanker trucks.

Enagás carried out modifications to the jetty at its Cartagena plant in order to provide such services, under the CORE LNGas hive project, in cooperation with Repsol and the Port Authority of Cartagena.

The project, coordinated by Enagás and led by Puertos del Estado is co-financed by the European Commission, aims to develop an integrated, secure, and efficient supply chain for the provision of LNG as transportation fuel, especially for maritime transport in the Iberian Peninsula.

Works at the port of Cartagena, valued at €2.7 million are scheduled for completion by the end of this year, Repsol said.