Image: Photo: Studio Timo Heikkala Ltd. Rights: Arctia Ltd, Business Finland, Gasum Ltd, Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency

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The world's first LNG-fuelled icebreaker, Polaris, was the first vessel to bunker LNG at the new Manga LNG Oy terminal in Tornio, Finland, LNG bunker supplier Gasum (formerly Skangas) reports. The supply operation took place in Röyttä Harbour on February 2.

The Wärtsilä-built Manga LNG import facility, which is located in Lapland close to the border of Finland and northern Sweden, is a joint venture backed by EPV Energy, Gasum, Outokumpu and SSAB Europe. Commercial operation of the terminal begins this year.

Tornio is the biggest LNG import terminal in the Nordic region with an LNG storage capacity of 50,000 cubic metres. Ships are to be bunkered via truck or directly from the terminal ex-pipe. The main LNG users are set to be stakeholders EPV Energy, Outokumpu and SSAB, as well as LNG-powered cargo ships.

Gasum notes that it has already been supplying LNG to ships in northern ports such as Luleå, Sweden, and Kemi and Oulu, Finland, but that the Tornio facility will fortify its position in the Bay of Bothnia region.

Tommy Mattila, Sales and Marketing Director, Natural Gas and LNG, Gasum, remarked: "The start of the commercial use of the Tornio Manga LNG terminal strengthens Gasum's LNG supply chain in Northern Finland and Sweden for industry and maritime transport."

Meanwhile, discussing Arctia's Polaris - which operates under contract with the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency (FTIA) and can run on both LNG and ultra-low-sulphur diesel (ULSD) - Markus Karjalainen, Head of the Winter Navigation Unit of the FTIA, explained earlier this month that the launch of the Tornio facility will enable the increased use of LNG when operating in the Bay of Bothnia.

Highlighting the difficulties encountered by the 2016-launched Polaris prior to the availability of LNG bunkering in Tornio, Karjalainen said: "Until now, the northernmost suitable terminal was located in Pori, which is way too far from Polaris' operating area in the far end of the Bothnian Bay. Some LNG has been delivered by truck, but Polaris has had to rely mainly on diesel."

Tornio gas delivered by Coral EnergICE

In addition to its ownership stake in Manga LNG, Gasum also has a liquefaction plant in Risavika, Norway, as well as owning and operating LNG terminals in Ora (Norway), Lysekil (Sweden), and Pori (Finland).

Manga LNG's gas is to be sourced from facilities in Gasum's portfolio, such as Risavika, whilst the 164-metre-long Coral EnergICE, which Gasum charters from Anthony Veder for the transport of LNG, is to be primarily used to deliver gas to Tornio.

As previously reported, the Gasum-chartered Coral Energy - which is the world's first direct-driven, dual-fuel, ice-class 1A LNG carrier - was the first vessel to deliver a shipload of LNG to the Manga LNG terminal back in November 2017.

Experienced LNG bunker supplier

Gasum claimed last year that it performed around a thousand LNG bunker deliveries in 2017. The company operates the 5,800-cubic-metre-capacity Coralius - on a long-term charter from owners Anthony Veder and Sirius Shipping - to perform LNG fuel supplies in the North Sea, the Skagerak area and the Baltic Sea. Delivered in September 2017, it is the first LNG bunker vessel to be built in Europe.

Gasum acquired a 51 percent majority shareholding in Skangas in 2014, which was subsequently increased to 70 percent in 2017. Last year, Gasum's stake grew from 70 percent to 100 percent when Lyse Group divested its 30 percent ownership. Following the investment, Skangas was rebranded in December as Gasum.

Gasum is owned by the Finnish state after Gazprom's 25 percent stake in the firm was acquired in December 2015.