The nonprofit coalition's members, now 28 strong, are working to break down the commercial barriers to the adoption of LNG as a clean and economically viable alternative to traditional bunker fuels.
In the cruise sector, 14 firmly contracted newbuilds are designed to use liquefied natural gas at sea as well as in port. They include three for Disney Cruise Line, two each for Royal Caribbean International, MSC Cruises, Costa Cruises, AIDA Cruises and Carnival Cruise Line, and one for P&O Cruises.
Welcoming the new members, Peter Keller, SEA\LNG chairman and evp, Tote, said each brings a 'wealth of knowledge and experience that will be invaluable to SEA\LNG as we work to realize our goal of making LNG an important maritime fuel. Our aim since inception was to form a coalition that unites key players from across the entire LNG value chain, and the addition of our three new members further strengthens our organization.'
Mitsui is a leading Japanese trading, investment and service enterprise, serving several business areas including iron and steel products, mineral and metal resources, infrastructure projects, integrated transportation systems, chemicals, energy, food resources and more.
In the LNG field the company participates in the whole spectrum of the value chain. Mitsui has invested in 11 LNG projects. Eight of those are in production with efficient management and stable operation. The company has also been proactive in LNG bunkering, participating in an LNG bunkering pilot program in Singapore and signing an MoU with Gazprom to cooperate in LNG bunkering studies.
'As the IMO’s global sulfur cap approaches in 2020, we continue to continuously advocate for cleaner energy, including the promotion of LNG as a marine fuel. We look forward to leveraging our company’s position to work with our fellow members towards promoting sustainable LNG bunkering operations,' said Kenichiro Yamaguchi, gm of gas business development division, Mitsui.
With more than 20 years of experience in the exploration, production, processing and marketing of natural gas and liquid hydrocarbons, Novatek is one of the largest independent natural gas producers in Russia. The company’s upstream activities are concentrated in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Region, the world’s largest natural gas producing area, accounting for approximately 80% of Russia’s natural gas production and circa 16% of the world’s gas production. Long-term, the company has ambitious growth plans to become the world’s biggest exporter of LNG within the next 10 years by tapping into Arctic gas.
Novatek chairman Leonid Mikhelson expressed the confidence that more shipping companies will opt for LNG to meet stricter environmental requirements, and said his company is ready to facilitate the LNG bunkering market and infrastructure development.
Sumitomo is one of Japan’s largest trading firms, with a strong heritage within the bunker trading business across 65 years. The company has a strong presence on pipeline gas trading in the US, and has also been involved in an LNG liquefaction project in the US, 'Cove Point LNG Project,' as well as LNG trading and owning / operating LNG carriers.
'We are proud to be joining a coalition whose vision for LNG as a marine fuel aligns well with our mission statement and our business philosophy,' Shuichi Suzuki, executive officer and gm energy division, Sumitomo said, which is outlined the company's 'Material Issues to Achieve Sustainable Growth with Society’ framework, especially 'Achieving Harmony with the Global Environment.'
The new SEA\LNG members follow the recent addition of Yokohama-Kawasaki International Port Corp., Marubeni Corp., Toyota Tsusho Petroleum, JAX LNG and Petronet LNG.
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