Sleipnir crane vessel being fuelled with LNG
Rotterdam LNG bunkering demand soars
Europe’s largest bunkering port is reaping the rewards of exponential growth in LNG fuelling
Rotterdam, Europe’s largest port, has more than trebled LNG bunkering volumes in the first half of the year, defying the coronavirus-induced economic slowdown that has hit its main cargo activities. Demand for cleaner marine fuels has risen sharply since the start of the year, when International Maritime Organization rules came into force restricting its sulphur content to 0.5pc. LNG bunkering volumes at Rotterdam rose to 93,713m³ in the first half of 2020, up from 26,146m³ moved over the same period last year, port data shows. This year’s six-month volumes are already 30pc above sales for 2019 as a whole. By comparison, total cargo throughput—the port’s bread-and-butter business—fell by 9.1
Also in this section
16 January 2026
The country’s global energy importance and domestic political fate are interlocked, highlighting its outsized oil and gas powers, and the heightened fallout risk
16 January 2026
The global maritime oil transport sector enters 2026 facing a rare convergence of crude oversupply, record newbuild deliveries and the potential easing of several geopolitical disruptions that have shaped trade flows since 2022
15 January 2026
Rebuilding industry, energy dominance and lower energy costs are key goals that remain at odds in 2026
14 January 2026
Chavez’s socialist reforms boosted state control but pushed knowledge and capital out of the sector, opening the way for the US shale revolution
