KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 14): AET, the petroleum arm of MISC Bhd, has completed its first ever liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering in the US, working in coordination with Shell to refuel the LNG dual-fuel Aframax tanker Pacific Ruby outside Port Canaveral in Florida.

In a statement, AET said the transfer of 600 tonnes of marine LNG onto the 113,305 DWT petroleum tanker from the Q-LNG 4000 bunker barge was safely completed within three hours, while the entire bunkering operations took nine hours.

The operation was coordinated by AET and Shell NA LNG LLC while Pacific Ruby was on its way from the US city of Houston to Rotterdam in the Netherlands, the energy logistics player said.

This bunkering milestone, it said, represents further progress in its commitment to reduce the environmental impact of shipping by using lower emission fuels worldwide.

It also represents another example of rapid extension of LNG bunkering facilities in the US and globally, allowing LNG supply for transatlantic tanker routes between Europe and the US, the company said.

“We are very pleased that Shell provides LNG fuelling along this important transatlantic trade route. AET’s investments in dual-fuel solutions underscores our commitment to reduce the carbon footprint of shipping using the best fuel solution immediately available in the market today,” said AET global director of mid-size tankers crude shipping Captain Ron Wood.

“At the same time, we are working together with our business partners on longer-term solutions for decarbonisation, which sees multiple pathways from which we will select the most effective long-term solution for zero carbon vessels,” he added.

AET said LNG emits 25% less carbon dioxide than conventional marine fuels in providing the same amount of propulsion power.

MISC’s share price closed up four sen or 0.56% at RM7.15 on Thursday, giving the group a market capitalisation of RM31.92 billion.