Titan Clean Fuels and Sogestran Partner on New Mediterranean LNG Bunker Vessel

Titan Clean Fuels, a subsidiary of the Molgas Group, has entered into a long-term agreement with French shipowner Sogestran Group to construct, charter, and operate a co-designed 6,000-cubic-meter LNG bunker vessel. As reported by Navingo BV, the newbuild vessel will be constructed in China by CIMC SOE, a shipyard specializing in small and medium-sized gas carriers. The ship-to-ship bunkering unit will expand the existing downstream infrastructure and truck-to-ship delivery services operated by Molgas Energy Group across the region.

Tailored to the navigational, operational, and commercial demands of Western Mediterranean ports and reloading terminals, the LNG bunker vessel features a low-air-draft design. According to reporting by Navingo BV, this specific design element allows the vessel to supply cruise ships directly without requiring an intermediate pontoon. The unit will load liquefied gas from multiple terminals across the Mediterranean to deliver LNG and liquefied biomethane (LBM), alongside providing specialized gas-up and cool-down services. Primary delivery locations planned for its operational radius include major port hubs such as Fos-Marseille, Barcelona, and Genoa.

The addition of the vessel builds upon Titan’s existing operational fleet of eight LNG bunker vessels across Northern Europe, which comprises six vessels in Titan's core fleet and two operating for Molgas Norway. As highlighted in the source report, the Mediterranean Sea was designated as a Sulphur Oxide and Particulate Matter Emission Control Area on May 1, 2025. Adopting methane-pathway fuels like LNG and LBM allows maritime operators in the region to meet these strict emission standards by nearly eliminating sulphur oxides and particulate matter emissions compared to conventional oil-based marine fuels.

The vessel itself will be powered by LNG and LBM to lower its own operational emissions footprint. Sogestran Shipping Managing Director Benoist Grosjean stated that close technical collaboration between the engineering teams from the earliest design phase ensured the vessel was fully tailored to local operational constraints. Titan Commercial Director Grégoire Hartig emphasized that the expanded capacity responds to growing demand for alternative marine fuels as shipowners progress through the energy transition, positioning the firm to broaden its bunkering footprint in France and the wider Mediterranean.