New LNG bunkering barge at Antwerp Port

The Belgian gas group Fluxys and the LNG supplier Titan LNG have taken delivery of the FlexFueler 002, the LNG internal refuelling barge that will serve the Port and the Antwerp region from February 2021.

The operator Titan LNG plans to begin offering zero-emission fuels - liquefied biogas made from organic waste or liquefied synthetic methane from green hydrogen and captured CO2 - as soon as the barge begins its operations.

The bunkering barge will be located at pier 526/528 of the Port where Fluxys allows bunkering operations from truck to ship and Titan LNG manages a permanent bunkering point for units dedicated to inland navigation.

Fluxys and Titan LNG joined forces in early 2019 to build FlexFueler 002, which was recently delivered by Dutch shipyard Kooiman Marine. Titan LNG is currently conducting the last trials and finalizing crew training.

Kooiman Marine also built FlexFueler 002's sister ship, the FlexFueler 001, which was delivered in 2019. The two barges have an overall length of 76.4m and a width of 11.45m, with four IMO cargo tanks of type C vacuum insulated, each with a capacity of 370 m3.

Fluxys CEO Pascal de Buck said: “We are proud to offer with our partner Titan LNG, a key logistics link for the shipping industry to move to cleaner operations in the port and the Antwerp region. The prospect of introducing fully carbon neutral options with our new barge in the near future strengthens us in our commitment to carry out the energy transition. "

Ronald van Selm, technical Director of Titan LNG, added: “Together with Fluxys, the LNG refuelling in Antwerp will soon be a daily activity. Together with the Port of Antwerp, we have already delivered LNG numerous times with FlexFueler001, so that we can guarantee to our customers s the safety framework is in place and functioning."