CMA CGM-owned shipping company Containerships has announced that it has successfully completed the first simultaneous operations (SIMOPS) LNG bunkering on a container vessel in Europe.
SIMOPS, which allows for loading and unloading procedures to take place at the same time as the bunkering of liquefied natural gas (LNG), is considered to be a pivotal aspect of making LNG shipping more efficient.
The operations, which took place on the LNG-powered Containerships NORD vessel, were carried out at the Port of Rotterdam on July 4, 2019.
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According to a statement, the carrier worked alongside its bunker supplier Shell, as well as the Port of Rotterdam, to complete the simultaneous processes, during which 200 tons of LNG were bunkered on the vessel.
It is said that this “unprecedented achievement” will lead the way for SIMOPS to be performed on other LNG-powered ships, including Containerships’ recently delivered POLAR vessel.
The vessel began its journey from Guangzhou Wenchong Shipyard in China to the Port of Rotterdam at the beginning of May… @PortOfRotterdam @_Containerships #PTIDaily #Shipping #LNG #Environmenthttps://t.co/isxtxXQ9gt
— Port Technology (PTI) (@PortTechnology) June 20, 2019
The benefits of carrying out these processes at the same time are numerous, as the ship’s stay in the port is reduced significantly and operational delays are avoided.
As a result of this, transit times may also be reduced to provide customers of CMA CGM and Containerships a more reliable and speedier connection between Northern Europe and the Baltics.
