Image: Gasum

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Gasum has secured a licence to distribute LNG in French ports and waters as part of the firm's maritime expansion strategy.

The new licence, obtained on February 17, will enable the Nordic energy supplier to extend the geographical availability of LNG within its network, thus broadening its delivery options to customers.

Commenting on the news, Gasum's Vice President, Jacob Granqvist, remarked: "Obtaining this licence marks another milestone in our quest to increase the outreach of our maritime LNG deliveries. It underlines Gasum's commitment to act as a reliable European maritime LNG supplier."

This latest development follows Gasum's acquisition of German LNG bunker supplier Nauticor last year. Since its first delivery in Germany after the takeover, performed on May 6 at the port of Brunsbüttel, Gasum has continued to provide LNG to customers at German ports - including its first truck-to-ship LNG bunkering operation in the country, on July 27.

Speaking last year, Granqvist explained that July's milestone truck-to-ship delivery "underlines our commitment to expand our geographical footprint in continental Europe."

Granqvist also noted in July that Gasum had expansion plans for specific European countries.

"We are working actively on extending our business in the region [of continental Europe] and have lined up several projects in Germany, Poland, The Netherlands and Belgium," he revealed.

Gasum is owned by the Finnish state after Gazprom's 25 percent stake in the business was acquired in December 2015. Its head office is in Espoo, Finland.