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Royal Dutch Shell has announced that its chartered vessel, the Coral Methane, has loaded LNG for the first time from the recently launched third jetty at the Gas Access to Europe (Gate) terminal in the Netherlands.

The LNG-fuelled vessel loaded at the new jetty on 19th September. It will distribute LNG to Shell's customer, AGA AS.

The Anthony Veder-owned Coral Methane was launched in 2009 as world's first small-scale combined LNG/LPG/LEG carrier. It was also Anthony Veder's first LNG carrier.

The ship effectively has two electrical generating systems: one system is able to run on LNG cargo boil-off gas (BOG) when in LNG service while the second consumes heavy fuel oil when in ballast or carrying other gas cargoes.

Cargoes are carried in two tanks and the Coral Methane is able to carry all common LNG, LPG, and ethylene. The vessel's size and design makes it especially suitable for longer trips.

Shell has been importing and storing product at the Gate LNG terminal since October 2015, allowing the company to supply LNG to marine and road transportation firms calling at the facility.

Gate terminal is a subsidiary of Dutch firms Vopak and Gasunie; it is located on the Maasvlakte in Rotterdam and was the first LNG import terminal to be launched in the Netherlands. The facility was officially opened in September 2011. On 20th January 2014, Primagaz Benelux was the first company to load a trailer of LNG there. Another Anthony Veder-owned vessel, the Coral Anthelia, marked the 100th time that an LNG carrier had called at the Dutch facility in June 2015.

Commenting on the Coral Methane's maiden call at the new jetty, Lauran Wetemans, Shell's General Manager Downstream LNG, said: "The first LNG loading of the Coral Methane at Gate's new berth is great news for our customers. We are ready to supply Shell LNG fuel to marine customers in northwest Europe, providing fuel options to meet the current and future needs of our marine customers."

Rolf Brouwer, Managing Director of Gate terminal, remarked: "Gate terminal and its shareholders Gasunie and Vopak are excited to be sharing this milestone with Shell. Demand for LNG as a fuel in the shipping industry is increasing, and Gate terminal is playing a leading role in providing the infrastructure and operations to load LNG on behalf of Shell on board of vessels for further distribution."