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Canada's FortisBC, has reached an LNG bunkering milestone by performing its 500th LNG delivery.

The British Columbia-based natural gas and electric power supplier has been carrying out LNG deliveries since December 2016 and completed its 500th delivery towards the end of last week.

Amongst its achievements, the firm developed - in collaboration with BC Ferries - a proprietary tanker truck technology to deliver fuel while on board a vessel.

BC Ferries' Salish-class vessels, introduced in 2017, were the first in the world to fuel LNG on an open vehicle deck via delivery truck. And the newly launched Spirit of British Columbia is the world's first to refuel LNG via delivery on a fully enclosed vehicle deck.

Earlier this year, FortisBC said it intended to focus on meeting the supply needs of operators that convert their ships to LNG, with the company also keen to see investment in LNG refuelling infrastructure so that British Columbia becomes a hub for LNG bunkering on the west coast of Canada.

In its last Environmental Report, the company said: "FortisBC plans to supply [LNG] to ship operators that choose to convert from higher emitting fuels."

"Utility investments in LNG fueling infrastructure will help establish British Columbia as a marine bunkering centre on the west coast of Canada capable of providing LNG to an increasing number of LNG vessels and leading to global reductions in GHG emissions."

In the report, FortisBC also stated that it had provided $171.7 million in incentives to customers to support the use of natural gas in various markets, including marine.

In its support for shipping firms, BC Ferries received a contribution of up to $10m from FortisBC Energy Inc (a subsidiary of FortisBC) - as part of the company's Natural Gas for Transportation (NGT) incentive programme - to finance the conversion of its two Spirit-class vessels (the Spirit of British Columbia and Spirit of Vancouver Island) to dual-fuel capability.

FortisBC is Canada's largest private utility company. The business is regulated by the British Columbia Utilities Commission.