LNG first for Rostock

The world’s largest LNG bunker vessel Kairos, operated by Nauticor, has supplied DEME’s next generation offshore installation vessel Orion. For the Port of Rostock, this ship-to-ship LNG bunkering operation is a premiere.

Orion is currently at the Liebherr construction yard in the Port of Rostock, where it is being outfitted with a 5,000-tonne crane. DEME leads the industry with the adoption of LNG, with the new offshore installation vessel being the fifth dual fuel addition to the fleet, following three trailing suction hopper dredgers (Minerva, Scheldt River and Bonny River) and a cable laying vessel (Living Stone).

Jan Schubert, Senior Manager Sales & Business Development at Nauticor was extremely satisfied with the outcome of the bunkering operation and commented: “After conducting the first ship-to-ship LNG transfer in Germany only a few weeks ago in Brunsbüttel for DEME’s Scheldt River we are happy to also extend our cooperation for the latest vessel joining the DEME fleet, Orion. The successful cooperation between the crew on board of Orion, the Nauticor team and the port authorities in Rostock, showed again how important it is to have experienced partners from all fields being involved from the beginning. Additionally, this is the first ship-to-ship LNG bunkering operation in the Port of Rostock and highlights that the availability of LNG is now secured in another important port in Northwest Europe, thereby further reducing the hurdles for companies to decide in favour of alternative fuels and ultimately, making shipping more sustainable.”

For Jens A. Scharner, Managing Director of Rostock Port GmbH, the first ship-to-ship LNG bunkering operation in the Port of Rostock is an important milestone: “This operation strengthens the LNG cluster in Rostock significantly and is an essential extension of the services offered by the port. The continuous development from the LNG bunkering operations by truck during the last years towards the first ship-to-ship LNG bunkering operation shows the strong operational performance of our team. We are grateful for the trust DEME and Nauticor have placed in us. Environmentally friendly fuels, such as LNG, and a shipping industry driven by sustainability will shape our port in the long-run.”

By Jake Frith