In a landmark event for North America, Port Canaveral witnessed a first-of-its-kind operation where two ATB tug-barges simultaneously conducted ship-to-ship LNG refueling of two LNG-powered homeported cruise ships. The sister vessels, Clean Canaveral and Clean Everglades, supplied LNG fuel to the Disney Cruise Line‘s Disney Wish and Royal Caribbean‘s Utopia of the Seas, respectively, while both ships were docked at their cruise terminals. This historic event was facilitated by JAX LNG, a joint venture between Pivotal LNG and Seaside LNG, serving as the fuel supplier.
Port Canaveral set a precedent in early 2021 by becoming the first American cruise port capable of handling cleaner-burning LNG fuel operations for cruise ships, beginning with the LNG bunkering of Carnival Cruise Line’s Mardi Gras. This achievement underscores the port’s commitment to sustainability and innovation in the maritime industry.
Strategically located on the east coast of central Florida, Port Canaveral serves as a customer-friendly gateway to major consumer markets and leisure destinations. It offers cruise lines, cargo lines, shippers, businesses, and vacationers the capabilities of a first-class deep-water seaport in an uncongested and relaxed setting.
As the world’s busiest cruise port, Port Canaveral has been at the forefront of meeting the LNG fueling needs of cruise partners and the space industry. On March 1, 2021, it became the first LNG cruise port in the U.S. with the bunkering of Carnival Cruise Line’s Mardi Gras, North America’s first LNG-powered cruise ship.
What is LNG?
- LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas): The same natural gas used for heating, cooling, cooking, and hot water in homes, schools, hospitals, and businesses.
- Cleanest burning hydrocarbon: Meets global regulations to reduce environmentally harmful emissions from ships in ports, effective January 2020.
- Environmental benefits: Significantly reduces harmful pollutants, making it the most environmentally-friendly fuel available, with marine engines powered by LNG virtually eliminating harmful emissions of sulfur oxides (SOx) and reducing nitrogen oxides (NOx) by up to 85%.
- Domestic sourcing: LNG sourced in the U.S. eliminates dependence on imported fuels.
Why LNG at Port Canaveral?
- Environmental alignment: A future without polluting emissions aligns with the port’s goal of investing in green technology and sustainability programs.
- Fuel of the future: Essential for the growing commercial space and cruise industries, with new global emissions standards for ships in effect since January 2020.
- Infrastructure investment: The port is investing in developing capabilities, partnerships, and infrastructure to support LNG use.
How does LNG work at the port?
Port Canaveral employs widely-used and proven best practices for the safe fueling of clean energies like LNG. Ships powered by LNG are refueled using a ship-to-ship “bunkering” process regulated by the U.S. Coast Guard. This accepted fuel transfer process is similar to the methods used for supplying petroleum products to vessels.
About JAX LNG
JAX LNG is a joint venture between Seaside LNG and Pivotal LNG, a subsidiary of BHE GT&S, operating a 360,000-gallon-per-day LNG plant with 4 million gallons of storage located in Jacksonville, FL. Constructed in 2018, the facility aims to bring liquefied natural gas to the southeastern U.S. and Puerto Rico. JAX LNG has access to two Jones Act LNG bunker barges, the Clean Canaveral, and Clean Everglades, serving multiple customers in various ports across the southeastern United States.
About Port Canaveral
Port Canaveral is a premier gateway on the east coast of central Florida, offering cruise lines, cargo lines, shippers, businesses, and vacationers first-class deep-water seaport capabilities in an uncongested and relaxed setting. As the world’s second busiest cruise port, it leads in meeting LNG fueling needs and supports the space industry with a strong commitment to environmental sustainability and green technology investment.
Source Port Canaveral