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ENGIE, Mitsubishi Corporation and NYK Line have launched Gas4Sea, a new brand for their joint liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering business.

The partners are due to begin operations in the fourth quarter of 2016 using a purpose-built LNG bunkering vessel with a 5,000-cubic-metre capacity. The vessel will be used to carry out ship-to-ship LNG fuel deliveries in the Belgian port of Zeebrugge as well as other nearby locations.

The launch of Gas4Sea and its upcoming LNG supply operation is the result of a framework agreement signed by ENGIE, Mitsubishi Corporation, and NYK Line back in 2014 to form a partnership to provide LNG bunkering services.

In a statement this week, the project partners explained how they would combine "NYK's shipping expertise with ENGIE and Mitsubishi Corporation's LNG supply portfolio and terminal access under the brand Gas4Sea".

Commenting on the news, Philip Olivier, CEO of ENGIE Global LNG, remarked: "Continuing ENGIE's long history of innovation, we are proud to launch this first global LNG bunkering service together with our longstanding partners. In the general framework of energy transition, we believe LNG has a key role to play in developing a more sustainable shipping activity. In the coming months, we will start supplying United European Car Carriers' new dual-fuel car carriers operating in the North Sea and Baltic Sea."

Jun Nishizawa, SVP and deputy COO of Mitsubishi Corporation's Natural Gas Business Division, commented: "At Mitsubishi Corporation, we continue to strive as a responsible energy supplier to contribute to the reduction of environmental impact leveraging on our half a century experience in LNG. We are at the juncture of achieving substantial emissions reductions in the maritime sector. Through our partnership with ENGIE and NYK, we hope to expedite shipping companies' transition to LNG by placing ourselves as a key piece in the global marine LNG supply chain."

Hitoshi Nagasawa, Senior Managing Corporate Officer of NYK Line, said: "As a leading global shipping company, NYK is also striving to find reliable and environmentally sustainable solutions to help address society's need to reduce emissions. We believe that the use of LNG as a marine fuel is a key innovation in this search and through Gas4Sea, using the world's first purpose-built LNG bunkering vessel, we and our partners ENGIE and Mitsubishi Corporation will offer ship owners and operators the opportunity to participate in this innovation and further enhance our industry's ability to operate in a more environmentally responsible way."

The three Gas4Sea partners added that they plan to expand their LNG bunkering services into other regions in the future.