Mega Yacht Takes on LNG Bunkers for the First Time at Gothenburg
Mega yacht, the RC Ilma, made its maiden call at the Port of Gothenburg on July 23 and marked a milestone by becoming the first mega yacht to take on LNG bunkers at the Swedish port.
Operated by the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, the 241 m long vessel was bunkered with LNG supplied by Gasum using the bunker vessel Coralius and operations supported by Sirius Agency, Port of Gothenburg said in a LinkedIn post on Monday.
The vessel features dual-fuel engines, enabling it to run on LNG and conventional marine fuels.
LNG produces 25% less CO2 than conventional marine fuels, but its main component, methane, is a potent greenhouse gas, trapping 86 times more heat than CO2 over a 20-year period, according to the International Council of Clean Transportation.
Methane slips during production, transport, and combustion chip away at the green credentials of gas-powered ships, and efforts to limit this problem are an important part of ensuring the sustainability of LNG as a bunker fuel.
Over the longer term, fossil LNG will need to be replaced by bio- and synthetic LNG to reduce GHG emissions further.
“The Port of Gothenburg’s ability to offer LNG bunkering for cruise vessels is the result of long-term investments aimed at enabling more environmentally responsible shipping,” the port authority said.
“We extend our thanks to RC Ilma and her crew for a successful call and look forward to welcoming more cruise vessels choosing Gothenburg, where the infrastructure for low-emission operations is in place.”
