Exmar to convert LNG carrier into floating transshipment unit for bunkering

Belgian shipping company Exmar is set to convert an LNG carrier into a floating transshipment unit (FTU) for the LNG bunkering market.

IMAGE: LNG carrier Simaisa. Exmar

An FTU is a floating facility that transfers cargo between ships offshore, allowing loading, unloading or storage without relying on port infrastructure.

To support the project, Exmar has taken delivery of the 146,000-cbm LNG carrier Simaisa, under an initial seven-year charter agreement, with an undisclosed party. The vessel will soon enter dry dock for modifications to prepare it for FTU operations.

Once converted, the FTU will receive large LNG cargoes from conventional LNG carriers. Specialised LNG bunkering vessels will then load LNG from the FTU and deliver it as marine fuel to LNG-powered ships.

Exmar has not disclosed additional details about the project, including the FTU's deployment location or its transfer capacity.

By Tuhin Roy

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