ZIM, Shell complete 1st LNG bunkering under 10-year deal

ZIM and Shell announced the successful bunkering of ZIM SAMMY OFER container vessel with liquefied natural gas (LNG). The vessel was bunkered at the Kingston Freeport Terminal(KFTL) on March 26, 2023, says a release from ZIM.

This was a milestone operation for a number of reasons:

*First time a simultaneous operation (SIMOPS) was completed with LNG bunkering in Jamaican waters;

*Kingston, Jamaica is a new LNG bunkering location for Shell, expanding its global LNG bunkering network to 16 locations across 11 countries. Shell has already achieved over 1,000 safe ship-to-ship bunkering operations for its customers;

*ZIM SAMMY OFER is the first in a series of 10 15,000 TEU LNG dual-fuel containerships which ZIM plans to deploy on their ZIM Container Service Pacific (ZCP) trade line; and

* ZIM recently signed a ten-year marine LNG sales and purchase agreement with Shell.

“We are proud to be able to offer and promote LNG bunkering in Jamaica” says Rear Admiral Peter Brady, Director-General, Maritime Authority, Jamaica. “Decarbonisation of the shipping industry is critical, and, being readily available today, LNG is a key part of the transition to lower-carbon marine fuels. This offering will not only grow local businesses but also encourage companies to embrace emissions reduction solutions."

David Arbel, EVP and COO, ZIM adds: “The safe and efficient LNG bunkering of the ZIM SAMMY OFER is a great achievement for all parties involved. This is the first vessel in our growing LNG-powered fleet that will enable ZIM to be more carbon and cost efficient, thereby improving our competitive position, particularly on the strategic Asia to USEC trade, and allowing customers to reduce their carbon footprint."

Tahir Faruqui, General Manager, Head of Downstream LNG, Shell says: “This landmark bunkering safely completed in collaboration with ZIM and the Maritime Authority of Jamaica expands our LNG bunkering network to the Caribbeans. With every new bunkering location added to our footprint, we are demonstrating the role of LNG as the lowest-carbon fuel available at scale today.”

Equipped with M-type, electronically controlled gas injection (ME-GI) two-stroke engines, ZIM’s LNG dual-fueled vessels have the lowest methane slip of around 0.2 percent, a testament of ZIM’s commitment to decarbonise its fleet, the release added.