Barcelona’s LNG sales surged in 2023

The Port of Barcelona’s LNG bunker sales surged to 58,000 mt in 2023, more than a double from 26,000 mt sold in 2021.

PHOTO: Bunker barge Haugesund Knutsen delivering LNG to the cruise ship Costa Smeralda. Port of Barcelona

In 2023, LNG sales in Barcelona represented almost 6% of total bunker sales (conventional plus LNG), a significant increase from the below 1% share in 2021. Lower LNG bunker prices resulted in more oil-to-gas switching in 2023.

The Port of Barcelona did not disclose LNG sales data for 2022, a year when LNG sales declined due to the heightened LNG prices resulting from the Russia-Ukraine war.

The deployment of an LNG bunkering vessel, Haugesund Knutsen, in February last year also helped to boost LNG bunker sales. The Haugesund Knutsen is managed by the energy firm Shell.

“The presence of a bunkering barge based in the port has greatly increased operational flexibility and has helped to substantially reduce service costs,” the port authority said.

The port completed a total of 199 LNG bunker operations in 2023, with an average stem size of 290 mt.

By comparison, Barcelona's total LNG sales in 2023 were about one-fourth of Rotterdam's LNG sales of 251,000 mt in 2023, and slightly more than half of Singapore's 111,000 mt.

By Tuhin Roy

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