Green Pearl Sets Sail: Cutting-edge Vessel Unveiled for LNG Transport
The Green Pearl, a cutting-edge vessel designed by Renzo Piano, has been unveiled at Genoa's Levante Waterfront. This bunkering unit is equipped to transport and refuel liquid natural gas (LNG) and bio-LNG.
What sets the Green Pearl apart is its ability to combine ship-to-ship operations with ship-to-truck operations, simplifying small-scale LNG distribution. This innovation is made possible by LNG4Speed technology, a proprietary solution patented by Gas & Heat S.p.A.
Axpo Italia's CEO, Simone Demarchi, notes that this technology allows LNG to be unloaded directly from the gas carrier to land-based tanker trucks, significantly shortening the supply chain. The Green Pearl was built by San Giorgio del Porto S.p.A. and is approximately 117 metres long, with a capacity of 7,500 cubic metres of LNG.
The vessel will primarily operate in the western Mediterranean and along the Italian coastline as part of Axpo's strategic project to develop the small-scale maritime LNG and bio-LNG market. The company aims to expand into major Mediterranean ports, with recent deliveries to Malaga and Algeciras among its targets.