The Administration of the Ports of Sines and the Algarve (APS), located in the Setúbal district, announced today that the operation called ‘ship-to-ship’ involved a container ship from Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) and an LNG supply vessel.
The port administration confirmed that the operation took place last Friday at the Sines Container Terminal, featuring the container ship “MSC Tongo”, which became “the first ship to be supplied in Portugal with LNG by floating means”, along with the vessel “Avenir Aspiration”.
During the operation, as stated by APS, “approximately 5,400 cubic meters of LNG, equivalent to 2,376 tons, were transferred while the ship operated at the Sines Container Terminal”.
“The supply was provided by Axpo, a multinational with experience in ‘ship-to-ship’ operations, supported by the local agent Wilhelmsen Port Services,” they added.
APS indicated that to ensure “maximum safety of the operation”, it was essential to comply with “international safety regulations and procedures in these matters”.
The crews of the supplied ship, the supplying vessel, the terminal operator (PSA Sines), the port authority, and the maritime authority were also involved in the “different stages of the operation”.
“The collaboration of Reboport was essential for the success of the docking maneuver,” highlighted the port administration.
According to APS, “natural gas is a critical transitional fuel in the decarbonization process, with an increasing number of new LNG-powered container ships being ordered in the maritime transport sector”.
This operation “demonstrates the capacity of the Port of Sines to supply alternative fuels to ships, promoting lower emissions, which, coupled with its strategic location, enhances its integration into green maritime corridors,” they emphasized.
For the Port of Sines, this operation is “another step to consolidate and develop” its “position as a reference energy and logistics ‘hub’ at an international level”.
