Marine fuel consumption in Russia is set to rise by 20% in 2023 to 7.4-7.5 million tonnes, the head of Gazprom Neft’s bunkering subsidiary said.

Anton Sobolev, head of Gazprom Neft Marine Bunker, told reporters around 850 million tonnes of cargo are transported annually in Russia by sea and river. The capacity of the domestic marine fuels market in 2022 was 6.1-6.3 million tonnes.

Sobolev said his company plans to increase the sales of marine fuels by 25% in 2023.

He said the only liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering ship in Russia, the Dmitry Mendeleev, had made more than 50 refuellings of Russian vessels in the Baltic Sea port of Ust-Luga since it started operating late last year.

Gazprom Neft Marine Bunker was the first company in Russia to power a vessel with marine fuel blended with biofuel.

Source: Reuters reported by Olesya Astakhova edited by Barbara Lewis