Shipping industry’s first commercial use of biomethane at scale

Shipping industry’s first commercial use of biomethane at scale

(PRESS RELEASE) ROTTERDAM, 16-Nov-2020 — /EuropaWire/ — Total (EPA: FP), a French multinational broad energy company, has announced the completion of the world’s largest Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) bunkering operation at the Port of Rotterdam.

The CMA CGM Jacques Saadé, the world’s largest containership powered by Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) has completed her first LNG bunkering with Total’s LNG bunker vessel, the Gas Agility, on November 13^th 2020 at the Port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands. The 23,000 TEU¹ containership received around 17,300 m³ of LNG, making it the largest LNG bunkering operation to ever take place.

Safe and efficient bunkering operation was performed by the Gas Agility at the Rotterdam World Gateway terminal by means of a ship-to-ship transfer, while the CMA CGM Jacques Saadé carried out cargo operations simultaneously. The supply of LNG was provided by Total Marine Fuels Global Solutions, Total’s dedicated business unit in charge of worldwide bunkering activities. Refueling took approximately 24 hours to complete.

As part of this milestone operation, the carbon footprint of the LNG delivered was further reduced with the introduction of biomethane for approximately 13% of the quantity delivered, through the Guarantee of Origin (GO) certificates mechanism. The biomethane is produced in the Schipol area in the Netherlands, mainly by organic municipal waste

The pioneering bunkering operation is a ground-breaking development for the global LNG market and concretely demonstrates Total and CMA CGM’s pledge to advance the use of LNG as a marine fuel, the best, immediately available solution in terms of energy transition to help reduce the environmental footprint of maritime transport. LNG makes it possible to eliminate almost all the air pollutants generated by the combustion of fossil fuels:

•    99% of sulphur oxide emissions;
•    99% of fine particles emissions;
•    Up to 85% of nitrogen oxide emissions;

A LNG-powered vessel also emits up to 20% less CO₂ than conventional fuel-powered systems. The development of bio and synthetic LNG² will further drive forward LNG as a viable pathway to support the International Maritime Organization’s strategy on reducing GHG emissions from international shipping.

“We are really proud of this landmark achievement, which is the culmination of a 3-year close collaboration between Total and CMA CGM,” said Jérôme Leprince-Ringuet, Vice President Marine Fuels at Total. “It also marks the shipping industry’s first commercial use of biomethane on this scale. Such introduction reflects Total’s ambition to get to Net Zero by 2050 and our commitment to help reduce the carbon intensity of the energy products used by our customers.”

“CMA CGM has chosen Total as part of a major industrial partnership to supply them with gas. Thereby making CMA CGM the initiator in structuring a genuine LNG field of excellence in maritime transport.” said Christine Cabau, CMA CGM Executive Vice President, Group Industrial Assets. “The pioneering choice of LNG we announced in 2017 is a step forward to achieve our objective of being carbon neutral by 2050 and to accelerate the energy transition in transport and logistics.”

¹Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit: Unit used to measure a container ship’s cargo carrying capacity.
²Synthetic LNG is LNG derived from the synthesis of CO₂ and hydrogen; it is considered a zero-emission fuel when produced from renewable hydrogen and recycled CO₂.

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About Total Marine Fuels Global Solutions
Total Marine Fuels Global Solutions is Total’s dedicated business unit in charge of worldwide bunkering activities. Total Marine Fuels Global Solutions is the single point of contact for a full spectrum of solutions with innovative and efficient bunkering services. www.marinefuels.total.com.

About Total
Total is a broad energy group that produces and markets fuels, natural gas and electricity. Our 100,000 employees are committed to better energy that is safer, more affordable, cleaner and accessible to as many people as possible. Active in more than 130 countries, our ambition is to become the responsible energy major.

About CMA CGM
Led by Rodolphe Saadé, the CMA CGM Group is a world leader in shipping and logistics. Its 500 vessels serve more than 420 ports across five continents around the world and carried nearly 22 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) in 2019. With CEVA Logistics, a world leader in logistics services, CMA CGM handles more than 500,000 tons of airfreight and 1.9 million tons of inland freight every year. CMA CGM is constantly innovating to offer customers new maritime, inland and logistics solutions. Present on every continent and in 160 countries through its network of 755 offices and 750 warehouses, the Group employs 110,000 people worldwide, of which 2,400 in Marseille where its head office is located.

Media contacts:

Total

• Media Relations: +33 1 47 44 46 99 l presse@total.com l @TotalPress
• Investor Relations: +44 (0)207 719 7962 l ir@total.com

CMA CGM : Media Relations: media@cma-cgm.com

SOURCE: Total