The container feeder vessel ”Wes Amelie”, owned by Wessels Reederi and operated by Unifeeder, was the first of its kind to run on the eco-friendly fuel Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and on April 21st 2019, it received LNG through the first ship-to-ship bunker operation for a container feeder vessel in the Baltic Sea.
Retrofitting paves the way for the maritime energy transition
When “Wes Amelie” was successfully retrofitted with a LNG engine in 2017, it paved the way for the current maritime energy transition. The transfer of LNG between the ‘Wes Amelie” and the world’s largest LNG bunker supply vessel “Kairos” marks an important step in turning LNG into the go-to fuel for container ships and the shipping industry in general.
"We are excited about expanding our LNG supplier base further, as Unifeeder continues to explore possibilities for growing our presence in the LNG-fueled feeder segment."
Hans Staal, Head of Bunker Procurement at Unifeeder
LNG is the most sustainable fuel
With the retrofitting of the “Wes Amelie”, the advantages of using LGN as fuel have been confirmed and it is clear, that LNG considerably benefits the environment and raises advantages for the feeder operators. Natural gas is composed of +90% methane and the combustion of natural gas primarily emits water and small amounts of CO2 (up to 30-50% less than what is emitted by other, combustible fuels) and no soot, dust or fumes which makes it the cleanest fossil fuel out there.