Bunkering trial in Kobe City Port a success
The recent LNG bunkering trial at the port of Kobe (Japan), organised by the Kobe City Port and Harbour Authority, and carried out bunkering on the LNG-fuelled tugboat “Ishin”. “Ishin” is a tugboat owned by MOL and operated by Nihon-Tug-Boat.
This marks the first LNG bunkering in the port of Kobe, and the successful trial confirmed that LNG fuel can be effectively supplied safely at the port. LNG fuel for the trial was hauled by a tanker truck from the Himeji LNG plant, and, via a truck-to-ship system, was used to supply “Ishin”, berthed at Kobe port’s Shinko pier No.4.
MOL also provided maritime consulting in the trial. Effective January 2020, vessel exhaust emission regulations will be tightened on a global scale. In response to the new standards, an increasing number of LNG-fuelled vessels are coming into service, making the development of LNG bunkering ports in Japan an urgent task. (fd)