NEWS
The LNG bunkering volume of the Yangtze River has seen a leapfrog growth, with the first bonded LNG bunkering project in the north being implemented
In the first half of 2026, the demand for LNG bunkering for ships in the Yangtze River basin experienced explosive growth. Data from the first offshore barge-type LNG bunkering station in China showed that the total bunkering volume reached 3,560 tons in the first half of the year, serving 254 ships, with an average of 600 tons bunkered per month. However, from 2013 to 2024, the total bunkering volume of the entire station was only 6,460 tons, indicating a very rapid growth trend. The surge in bunkering volume was mainly attributed to the subsidy policies for the renewal of old ships and new energy ships introduced by the government in 2024, which led to a large number of newly built LNG ships being launched into the water from 2025 onwards.
Meanwhile, the first international bonded LNG bunkering project for ships north of the Yangtze River has officially settled in a free trade zone. Relying on 270,000 cubic meters of bonded natural gas storage tanks and the advantage of overseas natural gas centralized procurement, the project takes core ports as hubs, radiating to multiple ports around the Huanghai and Bohai Seas. After being put into operation, it is expected that the annual total volume of natural gas bunkering will reach 400,000 tons.
