China's first and the world's largest LNG bunkering ship completed refitting in Guangzhou
On November 15, China's first and the world's largest LNG transport and bunkering ship "Offshore Oil 301" was refitted and delivered in Nansha, Guangzhou. The remodeled "Offshore Oil 301" will become an LNG transport and bunkering ship that carries LNG (liquefied natural gas) and also has the function of LNG bunkering, and can provide ship-to-ship fuel for large LNG fuel-powered ships berthing in China's coastal ports Filling service.
The refitting was carried out by the Wenchong Repair and Manufacturing Plant of China Shipbuilding Corporation Guangzhou Shipbuilding International.
The "Offshore Oil 301" ship has a total length of 184.7 meters, a molded width of 28.1 meters, and can carry 30,000 cubic meters of LNG. It is the first LNG carrier independently designed, built, managed and operated by China. The ship was officially put into operation in September 2015. It mainly serves for the second-way transshipment of LNG between China's coastal LNG receiving stations, and also takes into account the short-distance international LNG transportation.
According to reports, as the International Maritime Organization has higher and higher requirements for carbon emissions of new ships, and the use of LNG can reduce carbon emissions by nearly 25%. At present, LNG has become the first choice to replace fuel oil as marine fuel. Powered ships provide LNG bunkering services, which is an important basis for boosting the development of LNG fueled ships.
LNG bunkering is a key link in the water supply chain of fuel. At present, the methods of LNG fuel bunkering on the water can be generally divided into tank car filling, shore station filling, pontoon filling, and bunkering ship filling. LNG bunkering ships are more suitable for bulk bunkering. Technically, the bunkering operation can be carried out synchronously during the loading and unloading process of the ship. For busy ports and large ships, fuel replenishment can be completed without entering the port.
According to reports, ship-to-ship bunkering can provide more efficient, timely and large-scale bunkering services. Up to now, there are more than 30 LNG bunkering ships in the world.
The "Offshore Oil 301" ship was originally an LNG carrier. This time, it was repaired and rebuilt in the subcontractor of China Shipbuilding International, adding a new LNG filling system, combustion device, cryogenic reliquefaction device, mooring winch, Cranes and related liquid cargo control systems.
