Mobile solution takes bunkering speed to new heights

KC LNG has developed a trailer-mounted manifold that allows bunkering from up to 4 tank trailers (of any type) at once, quadrupling the capacity. A 6-hour bunkering process is now 1.5 hours, and the ship can leave the dock 4.5 hours earlier than before.

While a ship is bunkering, it is losing valuable operational time and, therefore, money. The faster a ship can refuel, the faster it can get back to doing what it is meant to be doing, which is to sail and make money. That is why efficient bunkering solutions are crucial to the shipping industry.

Highly mobile and efficient

At only a fraction of the cost of a permanent bunkering installation, KC LNG's TMM can be easily moved wherever it is needed – by car or by ship. It comes with everything needed for a full bunkering operation, including a 20-metre bunker hose with breakaway and dry coupling.

One of the reasons the TMM is so efficient is the fact that it allows empty tank trailers to be swapped out at any point in the process without ever needing to stop the bunkering process. Once the process is underway, it can keep going and going until the ship's tank is full.

Safety first and foremost

The TMM has an Emergency Shutdown (ESD) link that allows its operators to instantly stop the bunkering process from three different points: the truck(s), the TMM itself, or from the ship being bunkered. It meets the maximum flow allowed by ISO 20519 standards (150 m³ per hour).

This solution was designed by KC LNG on the request of PrimaLNG, a part of SHV Energy.

"This new solution is everything we could have hoped for. Ships now spend much less time at the dock and more time in open waters, which frees up a lot of resources for them. In terms of safety and convenience, it also opens up many possibilities for us. Now we can offer our customers more efficient, safe and smart LNG bunkering."
PrimaLNG