Ningbo-Zhoushan Port has delivered a total of 106,000 cbm (47,382 mt) of LNG in the first five months of this year, according to Zhejiang Seaport Group.

IMAGE: Gantry cranes and container ships in Ningbo-Zhoushan. ZJ Seaport

This is the first time that the port's LNG bunkering volumes have exceeded the 100,000 cbm (44,700 mt) mark, surpassing the total volume and number of operations recorded in 2024, the authority noted.

China has made notable progress in the LNG bunkering sector, with Zhoushan emerging as a key hub. Competitive pricing and short-term contracts have made China an attractive destination for LNG bunkering, a source recently told ENGINE.

This strong performance can partly be attributed to the port’s strategy of strengthening its operational services such as "pilot priority scheduling, real-time response of tugboats, and precise docking of [for] bunkering," the authority said. Improved services have contributed to increase the number of LNG bunker calls, it said.

Since completing its first LNG bunkering operation at Meishan port in June 2023, the port has expanded services to other key areas, including Chuanshan and Daxie, and obtained certification for LNG bunkering at the Zhoushan anchorage.

However, the port’s LNG bunker sales still fall short of Singapore’s, which recorded nearly 144,000 mt of LNG bunker sales between January and April.

By Tuhin Roy

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