Sines, Portugal, July 7, 2025 (Lusa) - Operators successfully completed the supply of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) between two ships by floating means, the first operation of its kind in Portugal, in the Port of Sines, consolidating its position as an energy and logistics hub.
In a statement sent to the Lusa news agency on Monday, the Port Authority of Sines and the Algarve (APS), in the district of Setúbal, revealed that the operation, known as ‘ship-to-ship’, involved a container ship operated by Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) and an LNG supply vessel.
According to the port administration, the operation took place last Friday at the Sines Container Terminal, involving the container ship “MSC Tongo”, which became the “first ship to receive LNG in Portugal through floating means, and the ship “Avenir Aspiration”.
During the operation, APS said, “We transferred around 5,400 cubic metres of LNG, equivalent to 2,376 tonnes, while the ship was at the Sines Container Terminal”.
Axpo, a multinational company with experience in ship-to-ship operations, supplied with the support of local agent Wilhelmsen Port Services," it added.
According to APS, taking into account the “maximum safety of the operation,” complying with international safety regulations and procedures in this area proved necessary.
Also involved in the “different stages of the operation” were the crews of the supplied ship and the supply ship, the terminal operator (PSA Sines), the port authority and the maritime authority.
“Reboport’s collaboration was essential to the success of the mooring manoeuvre,” the port administration emphasised.
According to APS, “natural gas is a key transition fuel in the decarbonisation process, and the maritime transport sector places orders for new LNG-powered container ships with increasing frequency”.
This operation “attests to the capacity of the Port of Sines to supply alternative fuels to ships, promoting lower emissions, which, combined with [its] strategic location, enhances its integration into green maritime corridors,” it said.
For the Port of Sines, this operation is “another step towards consolidating and developing its position as an international energy and logistics hub”.
HYN/ADB // ADB.
Lusa
