The Port Authority of Las Palmas says its first LNG bunkering operation has been carried out, supplying the fast ferry Mercedes Pinto, operated by Baleària Canarias, at the Juan Sebastián Elcano dock.

The operation, which took place on Monday night, also marks the first time Baleària has used tanker trucks to supply a vessel with LNG in the Canary Islands. The Mercedes Pinto had been inaugurated the previous Friday on the inter-island route connecting Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura.

The bunkering was carried out using the multi-truck-to-ship (MTTS) system, which allows simultaneous delivery from multiple tanker trucks to a vessel’s tanks. Two tankers were used in the operation, delivering a combined 600 MWh of LNG at a pumping rate of 1,200 litres per minute — 600 litres per minute per tanker.

Baleària’s CEO, Georges Bassoul, commented: “With this supply operation, Baleària Canarias is taking a first step to promote the development and regular supply of these sustainable fuels in the archipelago, with the aim of continuing to move towards more efficient and environmentally responsible maritime mobility.”

Beatriz Calzada, President of the Port Authority of Las Palmas, remarked: “For us, this operation marks the starting point for the supply of less polluting fuels. We are the leading bunkering supplier in the Mid-Atlantic and second in the Spanish port system. This is an activity we have declared strategic for our port, and we must be able to supply any type of fuel that ships need and that the market demands. We are committed to decarbonisation, and LNG is the alternative fuel that many shipping companies are investing in. At the Port Authority of Las Palmas, we are working to be able to store this fuel and supply it to the ships that trust us because of our high safety standards.”

The Mercedes Pinto, which according to Baleària required an investment of €128m, is equipped with dual-fuel engines capable of running on both LNG and biogas.