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LNG Bunkering

Total & MSC Cruises ink LNG bunker supply agreement of 45,000 tonnes per year

Total will bunker MSC Cruises’ ships sailing on Mediterranean routes by ship-to-ship transfer using its second LNG bunker vessel currently under construction.

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Total and MSC Cruises on Thursday (25 March) officialised a supply agreement for approximately 45,000 tons per year of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) to MSC Cruises’ upcoming LNG-powered cruise ships to make calls in the port of Marseille (France).

Total will bunker MSC Cruises’ LNG-powered cruise ships sailing on Mediterranean routes by ship-to-ship transfer, using its second LNG bunker vessel currently under construction. This vessel will meet the highest technical and environmental standards, using LNG herself as propulsion fuel and integrating a complete re-liquefaction of the boil-off gas.

“This agreement represents a further step in our ongoing journey towards continuously reducing our environmental footprint, for which LNG is currently a crucial component,” said Pierfrancesco Vago, MSC Cruises’ Executive Chairman.

“As we prepare to launch our first of three upcoming LNG-powered cruise ships in 2022, through this key agreement Marseille will become our hub in the Mediterranean for the refuelling of our latest-generation and most environmentally advanced ships.”

“We are proud to be developing the first LNG bunker supply chain in France, at the port of Marseille-Fos, together with shipping industry leaders such as MSC Cruises with whom we nurture a long-lasting partnership worldwide in the field of bunkering services,” added Alexis Vovk, President, Marketing & Services at Total.

“Total will continue to step up investments in LNG bunkering to ultimately reach its target of serving more than 10% of the global market. By doing so, we will continue to accompany the energy transition of the shipping industry and the reduction of carbon emissions of our customers, in line with our Climate ambition to get to Net Zero by 2050, together with society.”

The signature of this agreement has been placed under the high patronage of Annick Girardin, French Minister for Marine Affairs.

“I welcome this agreement between MSC Cruises and Total. This is a strong commitment to the environment, which demonstrates that when major economic players commit to the ecological transition, they can access new levers for economic development,” said Minister Girardin.

“This is also what maritime France is all about! This agreement also illustrates France’s full potential for competitiveness and attractiveness. In line with the Fontenoy maritime forum, I wish that these links between shipowners, energy companies, ports and shipyards will continue to develop, in line with the sustainable development goals.”

Used as a marine fuel, LNG sharply reduces emissions from ships, resulting in a significant improvement in air quality, particularly for communities in coastal areas and port cities. This agreement therefore impacts positively not only the city where LNG bunkering will take place, Marseille, but also all the ports where the cruise ships will make their future call around the Mediterranean Sea.

MSC Cruises’ LNG powered vessels will be amongst the most technologically advanced cruise ships in the world, bringing a range of environmental innovations to the market. Chief amongst these is a 50-kilowatt, LNG-powered solid oxide fuel cell technology project that offers a potential to further reduce significantly greenhouse gas emissions compared to a conventional LNG engine.

By 2022, Total said it will operate two 18,600-m³ LNG bunkering vessels in Rotterdam and Marseille and share the use of a third bunker vessel in Singapore. In February 2021, the Total also received a license from the Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) to supply LNG in the Port of Singapore from 2022.

Related: Total reinforces commitment to develop Singapore as key Asian LNG bunkering hub
Related: Singapore: MPA grants third LNG bunker supplier license to Total Marine Fuels


Photo credit: Total
Published: 26 March, 2021

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LNG Bunkering

Singapore: FueLNG achieves 800th LNG bunkering operation milestone

Bunker tanker “FUELNG Venosa” delivered LNG marine fuel to bulk carrier “MV Ubuntu Humanity” at Eastern Bunkering A Anchorage (AEBA) on 11 July.

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Singapore: FueLNG completes 800th LNG bunkering operation

Singapore’s licensed LNG bunker supplier FueLNG on Friday (17 July) announced the successful completion of its 800th LNG bunkering operation in the republic.

The company said bunker tanker FUELNG Venosa delivered LNG marine fuel to bulk carrier MV Ubuntu Humanity at Eastern Bunkering A Anchorage (AEBA) on 11 July. 

“This achievement is more than just a number,” FueLNG said.

“It reflects the trust our customers place in us, the dedication of our operations team, the professionalism of our marine partners, and our unwavering commitment to safe, efficient, and reliable bunker deliveries.” 

Manifold Times previously reported FueLNG completing its 500th LNG ship-to-ship (STS) bunkering operation.

Related: Singapore: FueLNG achieves milestone of 500th STS LNG bunkering operation

 

Photo credit: FueLNG
Published: 20 July, 2026

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Alternative Fuels

SEA-LNG: LNG, biomethane bunkering continue to grow despite geopolitical uncertainty

The industry coalition says LNG-fuelled vessels, LNG bunker vessels, and LNG bunkering volumes, as well as biomethane bunkering and production, all continue to grow in 2026.

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SEA-LNG: LNG, biomethane bunkering continue to grow despite geopolitical uncertainty

Industry coalition SEA-LNG on Thursday (16 July) published its 2026 Mid-Year Market Review. 

It provides a snapshot of the current market conditions facing the methane pathway, with particular focus on the growth of liquefied biomethane (LBM/bio-LNG). This report comes as SEA-LNG celebrates its tenth anniversary and gains provisional consultative status at the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

According to analysis of vessel orders from January to June 2026 from SEA-LNG member DNV, LNG dual-fuel orders remain robust at 73 vessels, accounting for almost 90% of the alternatively fuelled order book, when compared with ammonia, hydrogen and methanol. Additionally, there are now 67 LNG bunker vessels in operation, plus 42 more on order.

The LNG order book continues to be dominated by vessels serving liner trades especially container vessels and pure car and truck carriers (PCTCs). This is consistent with recent analysis by the World Shipping Council which shows that LNG remains the preferred fuel for container ship owners, accounting for 58% of total tonnage ordered versus conventional fuels at 36%.

There was also an increase in bunkering volumes and infrastructure. According to analysis by Kpler, global LNG bunker volumes were around 770,000 cubic meters (m3) per month in the period January to May 2026. This represents an increase of about 13% on the same period in 2025 as more LNG fuelled vessels have entered into operation together with favourable LNG and conventional fuel prices.

Liquefied biomethane is bunkered routinely today, and liquefied e-methane is in development. Since the introduction of regulations like FuelEU Maritime, LBM supply and demand have grown significantly. Data from the European Biogas Association show biomethane production capacity reached 8.2 bcm a year by the end of Q2 2026. This represents an additional 1 bcm in a single year, or growth of 17%. The number of operational biogas plants rose from 1,678 to 1,975 plants with €36 billion of allocated capital investment driving the sector.

Steve Esau, SEA-LNG COO, said: “Despite geopolitical and regulatory uncertainties in 2026, the industry is maintaining momentum on the methane decarbonisation pathway. This year’s mid-year review confirms that methane is the practical and realistic solution for shipping decarbonisation. 

“This is reflected in the growing numbers of LNG-fuelled vessels, LNG bunker vessels, and LNG bunkering volumes, as well as biomethane bunkering and production growth. As we look ahead, with e-methane also materialising, we are confident in the trajectory of the methane pathway to decarbonisation.”

SEA-LNG is active at the IMO and EU to underline the importance of goal-based and technology-neutral decarbonisation regulations, and ensure a global market for low and net zero fuels. As the methane pathway continues to mature, efforts have shifted from raising awareness to sharing members’ collective expertise on important technical details that will, for example, further reduce global well-to-wake emissions and scale up bio- and e-methane development and deployment.

As part of these efforts, last week SEA-LNG was granted provisional consultative status at the IMO. This status will enable SEA-LNG to engage directly with Members States as it advocates for practical and realistic regulations to help move the maritime industry forward.

Peter Keller, SEA-LNG Chairman, said: “I have been with SEA-LNG since we founded it 10 years ago, and what strikes me is how methane has ramped up from a pathway to a clear runway for shipping decarbonisation. When building the first LNG-powered containership, I didn’t imagine that within ten years over 10% of the global fleet by deadweight could be powered by methane. 

“What started as a solution to reduce harmful local emissions has cemented itself as the practical and realistic option for reducing greenhouse gas emissions today and into the future. As I look ahead, the fundamentals are strong, the orderbook is growing, the bunkering infrastructure is expanding at a record pace, and biomethane and e-methane are building on LNG’s foundation. Just as we expected.”

Note: SEA-LNG’s Methane Pathway – 2026 mid-year market review can be viewed here.

 

Photo credit: SEA-LNG
Published: 17 July, 2026

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LNG Bunkering

Baleària ferry completes first LNG bunkering operation in Las Palmas

Company made the first supply of LNG to the “Mercedes Pinto” in its usual berth, located on ramp 4 of the Nelson Mandela dock, in the Port of Las Palmas.

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Baleària ferry completes first LNG bunkering operation in Las Palmas

Spanish shipping company Baleària on Tuesday (14 July) said the first LNG bunkering operation of its ferry has completed in the Port of Las Palmas.

On Monday, the company made the first supply of LNG to the Mercedes Pinto in its usual berth, located on ramp 4 of the Nelson Mandela dock, in the Port of Las Palmas, removing the need to change to another berth for the operation. 

“The operation carried out normally, after the review of all safety protocols by the Fire Department and the Autoridad Portuaria de Las Palmas,” it said in a social media post. 

 

Photo credit: Baleària
Published: 16 July, 2026

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