A large ship pierces the fog on a misty winter morning off the coast of northern Norway; its red hull, emblazoned with the title ‘Viking Energy’, cuts through the waves as the vessel drives forward towards the port of Agotnes. As the quayside draw closer, the ship applies its rudder, and slowly manoeuvres its starboard side to align with the quay.
A liquefied natural gas (LNG)-fuelled platform supply vessel, the ship inches closer to the quay while fuel transfer pipes are pre-cooled, ready to hook up to the ship. Once in place, workers clad in hard hats and protective equipment scurry to connect the heavy-duty hose to the fuel intake of the vessel.
Once connected, the cryogenically ‘frozen’ fuel – cooled to -162ºC – can begin its transfer from the onshore storage tank, snaking its way through the length of pipe towards the ship’s fuel tank.
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