Bunkering and LNG player Peninsula fixes Biofuel deal for Cosco as Spain’s Cepsa also increases cleaner shipping role
Peninsula, the leading global independent marine energy supplier founded to fill a gap in the Gibraltar market for bunkering services and benefitting from the assistance of a refinery across the bay in Algeciras in Spain, has fixed its first Biofuel deal for one of the world’s largest shipping companies from China.
LNG carrier in collision with bulk carrier off Gibraltar with damaged cargo ship now beached at Catalan Bay
An LNG carrier, the 162,000 cubic metres “Adam LNG”, was hit by a bulk carrier while at anchor off Gibraltar’s Europa Point, and there were no injuries to either crew, though the cargo ship suffered the most damage and had to be beached off Catalan Bay, a main tourist area on the Rock.
Spain’s Enagás signs joint venture deal for building and charter of LNG bunkering vessel at Algeciras Port
Enagás, the Spanish gas grid and liquefied natural gas terminal network operator, and maritime fuels company Peninsula Petroleum Ltd, have signed a joint venture deal for the building and charter of an LNG bunkering vessel based at the Port of Algeciras to serve the Strait of Gibraltar shipping lanes.
The bunkering vessel with capacity of 12,500 cubic metres will be built at the South Korean Hyundai Mipo Dockyard shipyard and is expected to be delivered in the third quarter of 2023.
The vessel will be chartered by Peninsula through an initial seven-year contract. It will load LNG fuel at Enagás regasification terminals, mainly the one at Huelva in southwest Spain.
The Enagás subsidiary called Scale Gas signed the agreement with Peninsula.
The LNG bunkering project will be co-financed by the European Union to the tune of €11 million ($13.3M) as part of the EU Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) transport aid programme.
The financing is available as part of the EU’s support of the development of LNG as a maritime fuel to help avoid sea pollution and to improve air quality in ports.
“The signing of this agreement is in line with Enagás’s commitment to promoting the development of a value chain that allows more efficient and sustainable maritime transport,” said Marcelino Oreja, Chief Executive of Enagás .
John A. Bassadone, the CEO and founder of Peninsula, said the project would serve a growing market and promote cleaner fuel.
“Peninsula and Enagás share the vision of developing the use of LNG as a transitional maritime fuel,” explained Bassadone.
“Having the support of a partner like Enagás is incredibly positive and exciting,” he stated.
Also party to the agreement is the Spanish Port Authority of Algeciras.
“We have been working intensely to promote alternatives to current fuels and developing the use of LNG as a proven technology that is currently available to serve ship owners already asking for LNG in the Port of Algeciras,” said Gerardo Landaluce, President of the Algeciras Port Authority
“Two years after the signing of this agreement, supported by Enagás and along with the co-financing of the European Union, the Bay of Algeciras will have a stable LNG bunkering supply service,” added Landaluce.
