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Shipping company Terntank has been recognised for its investment in liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered vessels by being voted the winner of the Port of Gothenburg's newly established 'Gulddroppen' (Gold Drop) Innovation Award.

Terntank's vessel, the Ternsund, was the first ship to ever bunker LNG in Gothenburg and is the first of four 15,000-deadweight-tonne (dwt) LNG-fuelled product tankers ordered by the firm. All four LNG-powered vessels are equipped with a Wartsila 5RT-flex 50 DF dual-fuel, 5,850-kilowatt (kW) main engine.

The other companies nominated for the new award were Preem for its renewable diesel, St1 for its ethanol plant, Nynas for its renewable asphalt and Furetank for its LNG operation - using the LNG-powered Fure West.

"It was unexpected, but highly appreciated. We won in the face of stiff competition. We will naturally continue to work hard to reduce our environmental footprint to a minimum," said Tryggve Moller, President of Donso-based Tarntank Ship Management.

Last year, both the Ternsund and the Fure West received the port's maximum environmental discount of 30 percent on port charges each time they called at Gothenburg.

The Ternsund was delivered last June and is currently operating under a time charter with Finnish company North European Oil Trade (NEOT), transporting petroleum products from the company's St1 refinery in Gothenburg, Sweden.

As previously reported, the vessel also became the first ever ship to take on LNG as bunker fuel in the port of Rotterdam, qualifying for an LNG bunkering premium equal to a 10 percent reduction in port dues.

In its verdict, the Port of Gothenburg said: "Donso shipping company Terntank is an innovative pathfinder that leads the way in greener shipping operations.

"Together with its newly built sister vessels the Ternsund will sail the world's oceans without discharging sulphur or particulates. Thanks to determination, dedication and innovation, Terntank sets the benchmark in the development of next-generation shipping."

The second of Terntank's four LNG-fuelled sister tankers, the Ternfjord, was delivered in September. It is under a time charter agreement with ExxonMobil and is being used to transport oil products from the oil major's refinery plant in Slagentangen, Norway.

The Tern Sea was the third in the LNG-fuelled tanker series delivered to Terntank, in November.

The last of the quartet, the Tern Ocean, was delivered in March.

Image: Terntank's Niklas Johansson, Tryggve Moller and Anna Nyman receive the Port of Gothenburg's 'Gold Drop' Innovation Award.