Purus Marine Enters LNG Bunker Market with New Orders
Purus Marine has made a significant move into the burgeoning LNG bunkering market by placing orders for two LNG bunker vessels in China. This strategic decision highlights the company’s commitment to expanding its operations in clean energy and offshore sectors. The new vessels, each with a capacity of 18,900 cubic meters, are set to be constructed at Nantong CIMC Sinopacific Offshore & Engineering and are expected to be delivered by 2028.
Partnership with Shell Aims at Expanding LNG Availability
The two new LNG bunker vessels will be time-chartered to Shell, a major player in the global LNG market. Shell currently operates 14 LNG bunker vessels across 28 ports in 13 countries, and its ongoing expansion includes two additional 18,000 cubic meter bunker ships under construction in South Korea, slated for delivery in 2027. Dexter Belmar, Shell’s Vice President of Global Downstream LNG, emphasized the importance of these new vessels in increasing supply in crucial hubs such as Europe, the U.S., the Caribbean, and Singapore. He noted that with marine LNG demand expected to exceed 16 million tonnes per year by 2030, these investments are essential for enhancing LNG and bio-LNG accessibility worldwide.
India has natural advantage in producing green hydrogen: Hardeep Singh Puri
The deal with Purus Marine is part of a broader trend in LNG vessel contracting, with CIMC Enric also securing orders for two additional 20,000 cubic meter LNG bunkering vessels from GSX Energy, scheduled for the same year of delivery in 2028. Notably, the year 2025 has already set a record for LNG bunker vessel orders, with 23 units totaling approximately 430,000 cubic meters contracted so far, surpassing the previous annual high of 15 units in 2024. This surge in orders indicates a strong demand for LNG as a cleaner fuel alternative in the maritime industry.
