Bureau Veritas has been chosen to class the unique LNG bunkering vessel which will be built at Hanjin Heavy Industries, Korea, under an agreement between Japan’s NYK and Mitsubishi and France’s GDF-SUEZ.

The vessel will carry 5,000 cu m of LNG for ships’ fuel stored at 4 Bar in two IMO Type C pressure tanks. Delivery is set for 2016 when the vessel will operate from the Fluxys LNG Terminal in Zeebrugge, initially supplying LNG fuel from GDF-SUEZ to the fleet of United European Car Carriers.

Philippe Donche-Gay, Executive Vice-President and head of the marine and offshore division of Bureau Veritas, says, “Our experience with every type and size of gas carrier, our lead in the area of dual-fuel and multi-function gas carriers and our ability to support the partners means we can make a real contribution to this initiative. It will help kick-start LNG bunkering, bringing forward the use of this clean fuel in North European waters.”

The LNG bunker barge will be 111 m LOA, beam 16.8m, draft 4.9m and will have dual-fuel diesel electric propulsion with twin azipods for high manoeuvrability.