Australian LNG fuel push gathers momentum

LNG MFI chief executive officer Margot Matthews noted PPA and Woodside have executed non-exclusive licences to provide ship-to-ship LNG bunkering services at the ports of Port Hedland and Dampier, the first licences of their type issued in Australia.

Matthews noted that the LNG MFI’s push together with major players to develop a cleaner marine fuel industry in Australia is “now moving full steam ahead”.

Pilbara Ports Authority’s general manager development & trade, Lyle Banks, said the Authority has issued three licences for LNG bunkering operations in the Pilbara.

“In addition to Woodside’s ship-to-ship licences, a truck-to-ship LNG bunkering licence was issued to Evol LNG in early 2017”, Banks said.

“Western Australia is well-placed to become an LNG bunkering hub, with LNG production facilities close to large iron ore mining operations and the many hundreds of ocean-going vessels that use ports in the Pilbara region”, he said.

Woodside executive vice president marketing for trading and shipping, Reinhardt Matisons added that the company is finalising plans for an LNG bunkering operation in the Pilbara to capture the significant environmental and economic benefits of using LNG, instead of fuel oil, for the busy iron ore shipping trade.

Matisons said, “We continue to work with potential customers on this opportunity.”

He added that expanding the use of LNG as a marine fuel is one way to help reduce greenhouse gases from shipping and reduce Australia’s environmental footprint.