London, Wednesday, 9 February 2022
BHP Billiton, the world's largest mining company, has hailed the arrival of the Mt. Tourmaline, the world's first LNG-fuelled bulk carrier. The new vessel is one of five LNG-fuelled Newcastlemax bulk carriers that BHP has rented from Eastern Pacific Shipping (EPS) for a five-year period to transport iron ore between Western Australia and Asia.
The 209,000-dwt vessel is the cleanest and most efficient in the dry bulk shipping fleet, according to BHP, and is IMO 2030 compliant eight years ahead of schedule.
Mt. Tourmaline landed at Jurong Port in Singapore for her first LNG bunkering operation on her maiden voyage. It was handled by the FueLNG Bellina, Singapore's first LNG bunker tanker.
FueLNG is a joint venture between Shell Eastern Petroleum and Keppel Offshore & Marine that operates the facility. The vessel will depart after LNG bunkering for iron ore loading operations at Port Hedland, Western Australia.
"Today's historic LNG bunkering is more proof that the energy shift in the sector is well underway." These dual-fuel LNG Newcastlemax tankers are a world first, but they also symbolize a cultural shift in shipping and mining, according to EPS CEO Cyril Ducau.
When compared to a conventionally fuelled voyage, BHP expects LNG-fuelled vessels to cut GHG emissions intensity by more than 30% every voyage. They will help the corporation meet its 2030 goal of supporting a 40 percent decrease in the emissions intensity of its chartered shipping of its products.
The mining giant's aims to become carbon neutral include taking delivery of the LNG-fuelled bulk ship. BHP took part in the first marine biofuel testing aboard an ocean-going bulk vessel, which took place in Singapore last year.
According to the corporation, it is also looking into new partnerships focusing on wind-assisted propulsion and renewable future fuels. New fuels, such as green/blue ammonia or methanol, are expected to be necessary in the long run to fully decarbonize the industry, according to the business.
BHP plans to reduce GHG emissions to zero within its operations by 2050 (Scope 1), and to collaborate with customers and suppliers to help them reduce their own emissions (Scope 2 and 3). Its overall reported GHG emissions inventory was 418.7 million tonnes CO2 equivalent last year (CO2-e).
The company's maritime carriage of its products accounted for around one percent of all worldwide shipping emissions as one of the world's largest dry bulk charterers.
(Researched, written and edited by: The Decision Maker – Maritime editors)
