Zhejiang Pilot Free Trade Zone Zhoushan Area on Wednesday (8 January) said Ningbo-Zhoushan Port successfully completed its first LNG bunkering operation for the year. 

Bunkering vessel Hai Yang Shi You 302 supplied more than 10,000 cubic metres (m3) of LNG bunker fuel to containership MSC Adya at the port on 5 January.

Zhejiang Seaport International Trading, the bunker supplier for the operation, successfully obtained the Zhoushan Anchorage LNG bunkering licence in June 2024, extending refuelling services from dock to sea. 

The company’s services cover Meishan, Chuanshan, Daxie and other port areas. 

As China's first river-sea LNG transport and bunkering ship,  Hai Yang Shi You is currently placed permanently at Ningbo Zhoushan Port, providing a variety of bunkering methods such as ship-to-ship and ship-to-shore.

Zhejiang Seaport International Trading will continue to expand the scope of bonded LNG bunkering operations and new alternative fuels such as green methanol, ammonia and biofuels in the Zhoushan Area. 

Related: China’s first river-sea LNG bunkering ship completes inaugural bunkering operation

Photo credit: Zhejiang Pilot Free Trade Zone Zhoushan Area
Published: 10 January, 2025

Norway-based shipbuilder VARD on Friday (3 January) said it has partnered with the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Ålesund, Norway and other key stakeholders in the NuProShip I project, which explores nuclear propulsion for the maritime sector. 

NuProShip, short for "Nuclear Propulsion in Shipping," will evaluate fourth-generation nuclear reactor technologies for their viability in commercial shipping applications.

In this project, an extensive assessment of 99 companies developing advanced reactor technologies led to the selection of three promising reactor types:

• Kairos Power (USA): Fluoride high-temperature molten salt reactor using Tri-structural Isotropic (TRISO) fuel particles, designed for robust and efficient operation.
• Ultrasafe (USA): Helium-cooled gas reactor, also employing TRISO fuel particles, known for their resilience and safety in extreme conditions.
• Blykalla (Sweden): Lead-cooled reactor concept utilizing uranium oxide as fuel, offering high efficiency with advanced cooling mechanisms.

VARD said TRISO fuel particles, noted for their durability and containment properties, play a crucial role in two of these reactor types. 

“TRISO technology in fact, is renowned as one of the most resilient nuclear fuel types available today,” it added.

Alongside VARD, the NuProShip project is supported by other partners, including DNV, the Norwegian Maritime Administration, ship owner Knutsen Tankers, and the Spanish nuclear consultancy IDOM. 

VARD’s primary contribution involves integrating these reactor systems into various vessel types, assessing the technical challenges to enable the future commercial use of nuclear-powered ships.

Photo credit: VARD
Published: 10 January, 2025

Marine fuel supplier Monjasa on Wednesday (8 January) announced the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) and the Middle East region’s first LNG bunkering operation, which took place on 4 January at Dubai Harbour Cruise Terminal B together with Costa Cruises, part of Carnival Corporation.

On this occasion, the Monjasa-operated LNG bunker vessel Green Zeebrugge went alongside the cruise ship Costa Smeralda and successfully delivered around 3,000 cubic meters of LNG.

On 18 December 2024, Monjasa announced the charter of the 5,000 m3 vessel Green Zeebrugge for operations in the UAE.

About a week later, on 26 December, Green Zeebrugge arrived in Dubai waters following the departure from Amsterdam in November. 

The vessel was inspected by the authorities in Port Rashid on 27 December 2024, and the official bunkering permits were issued to Monjasa by the Dubai Maritime Authority and Dubai Ports Authority.

Monjasa Group CEO, Anders Østergaard, said: “We are excited about this first successful supply operation and to pioneer LNG as a new marine fuel option in the UAE.”

“However, reaching this milestone was only possible through the close collaboration of our forward-thinking partners at Carnival and Costa Cruises, ADNOC L&S and the UAE’s federal and local authorities, who are constantly embracing maritime innovation.”

“Together, we are all striving to position the UAE as a leading shipping hub in alternative fuels too.”

Related: Monjasa charters LNG bunker vessel in preparation for UAE operations

Photo credit: Monjasa
Published: 9 January, 2025