SILVERSEA CRUISES’ Silver Nova, which recently completed its first Australian season, has become the first cruise ship to be bunkered with LNG in Asia.
The transfer was successfully completed at Singapore Cruise Centre, with TotalEnergies Marine Fuels delivering the LNG via the bunker vessel Brassavola, managed by V.Ships and owned by Mitsui O.S.K. Lines.
TEMF says the LNG fuelling was the culmination of months of detailed planning and coordination amongst multiple stakeholders to ensure strict compliance with industry safety standards. This enabled passenger movements and ship operations to continue smoothly throughout the bunkering.
SCC CEO Jacqueline Tan said it was an exciting development given the growing number of dual-fuel LNG-powered vessels in the cruise industry.
“When we learnt of Silver Nova’s intention to bunker LNG, we took swift action to collaborate with TotalEnergies in bringing all parties together.
“As this is the first LNG bunkering for passenger cruise ships in Singapore, we needed to ensure that we were operationally ready for it. There were stringent protocols to be complied with by all stakeholders, guided by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA). This successful operation will pave the way for other LNG-powered cruise vessels to bunker at our HarbourFront Terminal.”
Louise Tricoire, TotalEnergies senior vice president, Aviation and Marine Fuels, said: “This achievement underscores the maritime industry’s collective drive towards lower-emission solutions and the vital role of partnerships in accelerating the transition, and aligns with Singapore’s vision for a decarbonised maritime sector.
“As TotalEnergies pushes ahead in our ambition to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 together with society, this feat strengthens our commitment to developing alternative fuels and solutions to help global shipping reduce emissions.”
The debut of LNG bunkering at SCC’s HarbourFront Terminal is an extension of the LNG bunkering services that have already been available in Singapore for harbour craft and commercial vessels since 2016.
