ZIM and Shell have announced the successful bunkering of the Hong Kong-flagged container vessel ZIM Sammy Ofer with liquefied natural gas (LNG) at Kingston Freeport Terminal Limited (KFTL) in Jamaica on 26 March.
This is the first LNG bunkering operation in Jamaican waters.
ZIM Sammy Ofer is the first in a series of ten 15,000 TEU LNG dual-fuel container ships which ZIM plans to deploy on their ZCP trade line. For these vessels, the Israeli ocean carrier recently signed a ten-year marine LNG sales and purchase agreement with Shell.
The Maritime Authority of Jamaica has supported the two companies in enabling LNG bunkering in Jamaica. Rear Admiral Peter Brady, director-general at the Maritime Authority of Jamaica, commented, “Decarbonization of the shipping industry is critical and, being readily available today, LNG is a key part of the transition to cleaner marine fuels. This offering will not only grow local businesses but also encourage companies to embrace sustainable solutions.”
“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,” said David Arbel, ZIM executive vice president and chief operations officer.
