The Hoyer Group is using specialized intermodal tankers to deliver the liquified petroleum gas (LPG) that supports the energy needs of Guernsey island, a British crown dependency located in the English Channel.
The international logistics specialist says it collaborates with Island Energy Group (IEG) to ensure the operations runs smoothly.
Guernsey, which is situated off the French coast, covers 25.1 square miles and is home to roughly 63,000 people who rely on the liquefied gas—considered more environmentally friendly than gasoline or diesel because its combustion produces lower emissions—to supply heat to housing units, as a fuel for gas cookers, and to power motor vehicles.
Reaching it is a logistics challenge because recent infrastructure changes prevent LPG supply tankers from docking, so Hoyer uses road tankers to collect product from United Kingdom refineries and deliver it to the port for loading on a cargo ferry and shipping to the port of Guernsey, where IEG takes over for onward delivery, Hoyer said.
“From managing the inventory, loading the product at LPG storage depots, and delivering it to the ferry, we work closely with our customer on the island to ensure that the onward delivery is properly coordinated,” said Jonathan Lawrence, operations director for Hoyer Gas and Petroleum Logistics in the U.K. “It makes us proud to know that we can support the supply to an entire island, and we are fully conscious of this responsibility.”
The essential LPG transport operation is undertaken by personnel specially trained in how to handle the product and Hoyer’s specialized equipment, the company said. And to ensure smooth handover to IEG, the road tankers also are fitted with a global positioning system, allowing the transfer in Guernsey to be synchronized transparently.