News
12.09.2016 LOTOS and PGNiG’s pioneering supply of LNG as bunker fuel
LOTOS and PGNiG delivered 120 m³ (120 thousand litres) of liquefied natural gas (LNG) as bunker fuel for SIEM HARMONY, a modern Platform Supply Vessel currently under construction in the Remontowa Shipbuilding shipyard, to enable its sea trials before commissioning. The gas was transported by tank cars from the Lech Kaczyński LNG Terminal to the shipyard in Gdańsk. This is the very first logistic project of this kind in Poland, a fruit of cooperation between LOTOS and PGNiG.
LOTOS and PGNiG delivered 120 m³ (120 thousand litres) of liquefied natural gas (LNG) as bunker fuel for SIEM HARMONY, a modern Platform Supply Vessel currently under construction in the Remontowa Shipbuilding shipyard, to enable its sea trials before commissioning. The gas was transported by tank cars from the Lech Kaczyński LNG Terminal to the shipyard in Gdańsk. This is the very first logistic project of this kind in Poland, a fruit of cooperation between LOTOS and PGNiG.
‘The terminal in Świnoujście allows us to efficiently transport LNG across the country. More and more vessels are powered with LNG, as a fuel ensuring compliance with the most stringent regulations pertaining to sulfur and other noxious product emissions. This is why we are going to develop our bunkering services,’ said Henryk Mucha, President of PGNiG Obrót Detaliczny.
Ships powered by dual fuel engines, considered highly advanced, run on both conventional fuel and much cleaner liquefied gas, which makes them more environmentally friendly compared with those using only conventional fuel. Shipowners switch to low-emission vessels powered with LNG in order to meet the EU’s environmental requirements with respect to fuels containing up to 0.10% of sulfur. More stringent emission limits set forth in the sulfur directive provide for a ten-fold reduction in sulfur emissions starting from 2015.
‘The technologies of LNG distribution and use are technologies of the future,’ emphasised Przemysław Marchlewicz, Vice President of the Management Board of Grupa LOTOS S.A. ‘I am glad that Grupa LOTOS, jointly with PGNiG and the shipyards, is taking on this challenge to the benefit of the entire country. We will support the development of this branch and related infrastructure. It is a right and desirable direction also, or perhaps mainly, because of environmental reasons.’
At present, LNG is the cleanest bunker fuel. It has a unique feature of evaporating and dissipating on contact with air, leaving no sludge on water. Therefore, even in the case of leakage, it will not pose any hazard to the environment. It is a safe and clean fuel, and ships powered with LNG are the safest vessels.
‘LOTOS Asfalt diversifies bunker fuel supplies to the market which expects suppliers to come up with alternative, low-sulfur solutions,’ said Piotr Przyborowski, President of the Management Board of LOTOS Asfalt. ‘This is a completely new and innovative direction in our business. What we are doing is communicate to the market that our product mix has been extended to include the LNG bunker fuel with delivery to all ports in Poland.’
