The Port of Marseille Fos unveils LNG bunkering plan

The Port of Marseille Fos has developed plans to set up liquefied natural gas bunkering infrastructure to boost the use of LNG as fuel and reduce ship impacts in the port. 

At the end of last year, the Port of Marseille Fos set up a working group to study and ensure the relevance of the logistics options for LNG bunkering in the port.

Between March and July 2018, the LNG working group developed a master plan with details of the schedule for the investment that would be required and the possible operational methods.

Port of Marseille Fos said it brought together ship-owners that had expressed an interest in LNG from Marseille / Fos, the managers of the two LNG terminals based in Fos, Elengy and Fosmax LNG, an LNG supplier, Total Marine Fuels Global Solutions and the LNG marine and fluvial platform.

The group confirmed the feasibility of an operational LNG bunkering solution in both Marseille and Fos within a limited timeframe, consisting of the development of truck refueling logistics that would initially serve ferries and continue to be an option should refueling vessels be unavailable.

The plan also includes putting one or more refueling vessel in place that would be suitable for cruise ships and ferries as well as container ships.

Port of Marseille Fos said the players are already preparing with this timescale in mind: Fosmax LNG is investing in particular in the Fos Cavaou terminal in order to adapt it to receive small LNG carriers.

This service will be available in the summer of 2019 (50 annual slots). Elengy is studying the extension of the Fos Tonkin Terminal activity focusing on loading small LNG carriers, with the provision of 100 annual slots from 2021.