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World’s largest LNG bunker tanker christened

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The world’s largest LNG bunker tanker at 7,500 cu m was officially commissioned in Germany’s Hamburg port last Friday, christened by godmother Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, federal chairman of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU).

More than 250 guests were present at the christening of Kairos, blessed by the words “May God bless her and all who sail on her” from Kramp-Karrenbauer.

“The commissioning of this vessel is not only important for the German shipping industry, but addressing environmental concerns in general and the global move towards more sustainable transport modes at sea,” she said.

The ice-class LNG bunker supply vessel is equipped with ballast-free design and a CNG tank to store vapour return gas from customer vessels. Construction of the vessel started in 2016 and in February 2018, steel cutting took place at Korea’s Hyundai Mipo Dockyard, from where the vessel was delivered in October 2018.

Nauticor chartered the Kairos via the joint venture Blue LNG, where Nauticor has a 90% share and Lithuanian energy infrastructure provider Klaipedos Nafta has a 10% share, from the owner Babcock Schulte Energy.

Mahinde Abeynaike, ceo of Nauticor, commented: “With the commissioning of the world’s largest LNG bunker supply vessel, the availability of LNG as fuel for shipping on a large-scale basis is secured, e.g. in the Baltic Sea.

"With shipping companies having access to a fuel that is not only financially attractive, but also environmentally sustainable, people and nature in Northwest Europe will benefit from a substantial reduction of emissions at sea and in port,” Abeynaike added.

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