Total's marine fuel marketing affiliate Total Marine Fuels Global Solutions (TMFGS) and French shipping company Brittany Ferries have signed a multi-year contract to supply LNG bunker to the Honfleur in the port of Ouistreham, France.
Brittany Ferries’ owner BAI Bretagne Angleterre Irlande had confirmed its order for the first LNG-powered French cruise ferry in late June.
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The new LNG-powered vessel is scheduled to begin operations between Ouistreham and Portsmouth, England, from 2019.
The environmental performance of LNG will allow operators to meet the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) new sulphur regulations, which have been applicable in Emission Control Areas (ECA) since 2015 and are to be enforced worldwide from 2020.
LNG is being supported by TMFGS as new marine fuel, and is reported to reduce emissions of nitrogen oxide (NOx), particles and carbon dioxide (CO2).
TMFGS has collaborated with two other French companies Dunkerque LNG and Groupe Charles André (CGA) to implement a new supply chain using ISO containers for LNG bunkering, which will be provided to address the lack of LNG infrastructure in the ports set to be served by the Honfleur ferry.
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By GlobalDataTMFGS managing director Olivier Jouny said: "The agreement with Brittany Ferries is a landmark one, our first contract to supply LNG bunker.
"In addition, the work carried out with Dunkerque LNG and Groupe Charles André has made it possible to supply the LNG by developing a safe, innovative logistics solution, thanks in particular to the digitalisation of container tracking."
Works planned under the deal with Dunkerque LNG include the construction of an automated truck-loading dock, where the containers will be filled with LNG.
The deal with CGA will see the supply and transportation of ISO containers equipped with geolocation trackers and pressure sensors.
The containers will be transported by truck from the LNG terminal of Dunkirk to the port of Ouistreham before being lifted aboard the cruise ferry using onboard cranes. They will be used to supply a fixed LNG storage tank at the rear of the superstructure.
The containers will then be offloaded at the next call at Ouistreham once empty, and replaced by full containers.
Brittany Ferries Group Maritime port and operations director Frédéric Pouget said: "Brittany Ferries, a leader in passenger transportation in the Arc Atlantique Corridor, is embarking on an innovative partnership with Total and committed to improving our environmental footprint.
"The shipping industry needs access to LNG. This partnership demonstrates that unique, local solutions can be developed to supply LNG to ships.
"In the first step of the upcoming energy transformation, Brittany Ferries intends to make LNG the preferred fuel for its future owned newbuilds."
