Titan LNG developing bunkering pontoon

Titan LNG, the Dutch-based supplier of liquefied natural gas to marine and industrial markets in North West Europe, said it is developing the region’s first LNG bunkering pontoon. 

The pontoon, named Titan LNG Flex-Fueler is designed to have a fixed location to supply inland waterway vessels, but can also be navigated to larger sea-going vessels and supply LNG while they load or unload their cargo, the company said in a statement on Tuesday.

Speaking of the bunkering solution, Niels den Nijs, commercial director, Titan LNG said, “It is critical that LNG bunkering infrastructure is developed to facilitate the efficient, cost effective, and safe delivery of LNG to both large and small LNG-fuelled vessels.”

Currently, truck-to-ship delivery provides the most flexibility and is the only means of receiving LNG bunkers in the Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Antwerp (ARA) region, den Nijs said.

However, more LNG-fuelled vessel coming into the market currently cannot bunker at land-based LNG stations, due to high deviation costs or draft restrictions. The pontoon is seen as a catalyst for a substantial increase in demand for LNG conversion, according to den Nijs.

The company is still working with industry stakeholders, including ports, ship owners and operators as well as the classification societies to further develop the design and classification of the Titan LNG Flex-Fueler bunkering pontoon in advance of its official launch in Q1 2018.

The pontoon features a double bottom, double hull with a length of 70 meters and will be fitted with up to four tanks, each with a capacity of 300 cubic meters (cbm). It will have discharge capacity range  between 30 and 450-cbm of LNG per hour and will be capable of loading and unloading via ex-wharf, ex-truck and ex-vessel, the statement reads.