Latest clean fuel milestone demonstrates the availability and growth of liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a clean marine fuel
JACKSONVILLE, Fla – October 27, 2022 – JAX LNG, a small-scale LNG facility specializing in both on-road and marine-loading LNG solutions near the St. Johns River, recently welcomed NYK LINE’s Sakura Leader for the ship’s inaugural call to Jacksonville. Sakura Leader offloaded cargo at the Jacksonville Port Authority’s (JAXPORT) Talleyrand Marine Terminal where JAX LNG completed its first ship-to-ship liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering of Sakura Leader.
Crews loaded approximately 800 metric tons of LNG from North America’s largest LNG bunker barge—the Clean Canaveral, owned by Polaris New Energy. This occasion marks the first time NYK LINE deployed Sakura Leader to the U.S. East Coast from Japan and was the first time the vessel received LNG bunkering in the United States.
JAX LNG is the only supplier in North America with access to two Jones Act LNG bunker barges—the Clean Canaveral and the Clean Jacksonville—giving JAX LNG the ability to serve a wide variety of customers. In preparation for this bunkering, JAX LNG worked closely with Polaris New Energy to charter the Clean Canaveral, as well as with TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico for the possible use of the Clean Jacksonville, while working closely with U.S. Coast Guard Sector Jacksonville to confirm the compatibility of both LNG bunker vessels during all potential cargo loading conditions.
“We are honored to have earned the trust and confidence to fuel Sakura Leader and to demonstrate our unique ability to serve NYK LINE,” said Roger Williams, Manager of JAX LNG and VP of Commercial LNG and Gas Development at BHE GT&S, the parent company of Pivotal LNG, which shares ownership of JAX LNG with Northstar Midstream. Tim Casey, SVP of Polaris New Energy and also a Manager of JAX LNG, commented that, “The crews of Sakura Leader and the Clean Canaveral worked well together to ensure the safe and efficient transfer of LNG. We look forward to continuing to serve NYK LINE’s LNG needs.”
Located in the heart of the U.S. Southeast, JAXPORT is the only U.S. East Coast port offering on-dock and near-dock LNG fueling capabilities. The port is one of the nation’s top vehicle-handling ports and is home to four LNG-powered cargo ships operating between Jacksonville and Puerto Rico.
About NYK Line
Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK) was founded in 1885 and is one of the world’s leading transportation companies. At the end of March 2022, the NYK Group was operating 814 major ocean vessels, as well as fleets of planes and trucks. The company’s shipping fleet includes 354 bulk carriers, 118 car carriers, 55 container ships (including semi-container ships), 85 LNG carriers (including those owned by equity method affiliates), 68 tankers, 37 wood-chip carriers, one cruise ship, and 96 other ships (including shuttle tankers and multipurpose and project cargo vessels). The NYK Group is based in Tokyo, employs about 35,000 people worldwide, and has regional headquarters in London, New York/New Jersey, Singapore, and Shanghai. On February 3, 2021, NYK announced the NYK Group ESG Story, which aims to further integrate ESG into the company’s management strategy. In order to continue to be a corporate group that remains essential to society and industry, the NYK Group aims to be a sustainable solution provider that creates new value while maximizing profits and achieving social and environmental sustainability from a long-term perspective.
About JAX LNG
JAX LNG, LLC is a joint venture between NorthStar Midstream and Pivotal LNG, a subsidiary of BHE GT&S (www.bhegts.com), operating a 120,000 gallon/day LNG plant with 2 million gallons of storage in Jacksonville, FL. An expansion of the facility is nearing completion that will double storage and triple liquefaction capacity. The LNG facility was constructed to bring liquefied natural gas to the southeast U.S. and Puerto Rico. For more information on JAX LNG, visit www.jaxlng.com. For more information on NorthStar Midstream and Pivotal LNG, visit www.northstarmidstream.com or www.pivotallng.com.
About Polaris New Energy
Polaris is a wholly owned subsidiary of Seaside LNG Holdings LLC, formed to supply maritime transportation logistics in the U.S. Jones Act market for LNG as a fuel to the maritime, aerospace and transportation industries. Polaris owns the Clean Canaveral and the tug, Polaris, which operate as an ATB for delivery to LNG customers. For more information, visit www.polarisnewenergy.com.
About Seaside LNG Holdings
Seaside LNG Holdings LLC provides LNG liquefaction and maritime transportation logistics to meet the growing demand for LNG as a transportation fuel through its subsidiaries Northstar and Polaris New Energy.