Bunkering specialist Peninsula and Scale Gas, a subsidiary of Spanish transmission system operator Enagás, have reached an agreement for the construction and joint ownership of a 12,500 cu m liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunker vessel which will operate in the Strait of Gibraltar.
Peninsula will charter the vessel through an initial seven-year contract, and use Enagás’ regasification plants, predominantly in Huelva, as LNG loading points. The vessel is expected to be delivered in June 2023 by South Korean shipyard Hyundai Mipo.
This deal is seen by Scale Gas as an advancement of its strategic plan to develope small and medium-scale LNG infrastructure. In addition, it represents a significant step in Peninsula’s transition towards a more sustainable future through the implementation of new fuels and services.
John A. Bassadone, owner and CEO of Peninsula, who spoke to Splash earlier this week, said: “As one of the largest physical suppliers of marine fuels globally, this is the first step of our transition to a more sustainable future. This vessel will hopefully be the first of many that will offer flexibility and solutions across our global network to our customers.”
The initiative is part of the European Union’s transport aid program, Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), which has contributed €11m towards the vessel development through a consortium of Enagás, Scale Gas and the Algeciras Port Authority.
