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The world's first purpose-built liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering vessel, the Engie Zeebrugge, has performed its first deliveries of LNG to two new gas-propelled pure car and truck carriers (PCTCs) owned by United European Car Carriers (UECC): the M/V Auto Eco and the M/V Auto Energy.

The LNG bunker deliveries were conducted at the same time that the vessels' cargo operations were taking place.

As previously reported, the Engie Zeebrugge arrived at its home port of Zeebrugge, on April 3, following a 38-day maiden voyage from South Korea after being delivered by Hanjin Heavy Industries & Construction.

The vessel is now carrying out a weekly delivery of LNG bunkers to the two PCTCs and is the world's first LNG bunkering vessel to perform regular ship-to-ship deliveries.

Product is loaded at Fluxys' LNG terminal in Zeebrugge, where small LNG carriers with capacities from 2,000 cubic metres can dock at the recently launched second jetty.

The Engie Zeebrugge is jointly owned by Engie, Mitsubishi Corporation, NYK Line, and Fluxys. With an LNG capacity of 5,000 cubic metres, it will be used to service shipping customers in northern Europe from its home port of Zeebrugge, under the brand name Gas4Sea.

Launched in September 2016 by ENGIE, Mitsubishi Corporation, and NYK Line, the Gas4Sea brand is designed to promote and develop the use of LNG as a sustainable alternative to conventional oil-based marine fuels.

Commenting on the Engie Zeebrugge's maiden deliveries to the Auto Eco and Auto Energy, the project partners said: "The first ship-to-ship bunkering operations are a key milestone in the development of the nascent LNG bunkering market, which needs the collaboration of many stakeholders to gain a foothold: industrial companies, manufacturers, regulatory bodies, port authorities, and shipping companies.

"The joint efforts of the companies and authorities involved seek to curb carbon and health impacting emissions in shipping and come [out] in support of the European alternative fuels strategy for sustainable mobility."

Image: The Engie Zeebrugge at its home port, Zeebrugge.