Port of Bilbao Conducts First Ship-to-Ship LNG Bunkering
Image Courtesy: Port of BilbaoSpanish Port of Bilbao witnessed its first ship-to-ship liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering operation at the beginning of February 2018.
During the operation, which occurred on February 2, the cement tanker MV Ireland received 90 cubic meters of LNG from the Oizmendi bunker vessel, owned by Itsas Gas, a company formed by the Basque Energy Entity, tug boat operators Remolcadores Ibaizabal and shipowner Naviera Murueta.
Formerly known as Monte Arucas, Oizmendi was recently converted to a bunkering barge. As such, the vessel is Spain’s first LNG supply ship which features two 300-cubic meter LNG tanks installed onboard.
MV Ireland was also the first ship to conduct truck-to-ship LNG bunkering at the Port of Bilbao in an operation which lasted five hours in March 2017.
The 110-meter-long MV Ireland operates on a regular line between Bilbao and the United Kingdom and Ireland.
