Is UASC set to make LNG bunkering come of age?

Last year’s order by UASC for 10 ultra-large boxships that would be LNG ready marked what may well be the start of a coming of age for LNG bunkering. Conventional wisdom had previously held that LNG was not really suitable for large container vessels due the amount of cargo space that would be lost to large fuel tanks. Obviously UASC have done their sums and come to a different conclusion.

Now while these newbuildings will not initially run on LNG clearly the plan is that they will in a few years time once the bunkering infrastructure is in place. Indeed UASC plans to develop that infrastructure itself in its home part of the world the Middle East. Sitting roughly in the middle of the Asia – Europe route these ships will trade on this plan makes an awful lot of geographical sense.

At the other ends of the trade ports such as Rotterdam and Gothenburg in North Europe are developing LNG infrastructure and regulations, and in Asia, Singapore, the world’s largest conventional bunkering port, is doing the same.

For large containerships LNG fuel, if the pricing is right, could quickly become an attractive option. Ultra-large boxships by default have to trade on the Asia – Europe route as it is the only one with the scale and port infrastructure that such huge vessels can operate. As long as LNG bunkering infrastructure is developed in key ports along the trade, as appears to be increasingly happening, the basic practicalities would be very easily.

With the rise of emission control areas (ECAs) and the 0.1% sulphur cap from 2015 for these areas, LNG as a marine fuel would eliminate the complexities of fuel switching and the high cost of burning distillate fuel, or fitting scrubbers.

Yes, there are still issues such as crew training, regulation and certification for operating LNG fueled engines, which based on a DNV GL seminar in Singapore earlier this week senior industry executives are unsure as to what will actually be required.

But if the infrastructure is in place, and one or more major line proves it can make LNG bunkering work to its advantage, rest assured given the herd like mentality of the container shipping industry many more will quickly follow.

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