Port of Gothenburg to Start LNG Facility
The Port of Gothenburg has launched the construction of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility in an effort to open up new opportunities for LNG-fuelled ships.
"Construction of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility is now under way at the Port of Gothenburg. The facility will open up new opportunities for LNG-fuelled ships that call at the Gothenburg Energy Port. It will become fully operational during 2018," said a statement from the company.
LNG is currently the cleanest marine fuel available to major shipping companies. The use of LNG as a fuel reduces emissions of sulphur, particles and heavy metals to a minimum. Emissions of nitric oxide are reduced by 80 per cent. The EU has already highlighted LNG as a key marine fuel for the future.
LNG as marine fuel is increasingly used in the world as global sulphur regulations become increasingly stringent. The Port of Gothenburg has made considerable progress in promoting its use. The first LNG bunkering took place at the Port of Gothenburg in autumn 2016, and since then operating regulations and routines have been developed and efficiency has been improved, resulting in a steady rise in the number of LNG bunkering operations.
Today, Skangas is supplying vessels with LNG using a ship-to-ship bunkering system at the Port of Gothenburg. It has now been joined by Swedegas, which owns and runs the Swedish gas transmission network. Swedegas will expand the number of LNG options at the port with the construction of a facility that will ensure safe, rapid and effective landside LNG bunkering whilst vessels are loading and discharging at the Energy Port.
“With both Skangas and Swedegas operating at the Port of Gothenburg, we have two companies that complement each other with different offerings. Shipping lines now have a further incentive to consider switching to LNG,” said Jill Söderwall, Vice President and Head of Commercial Operations at the Energy Port.
The facility will be scalable and can be adapted to the needs of the customers. Gas purchasers will also be able to choose their supplier. LNG will arrive at the facility by trailer or in containers, and will be distributed via a 450-metre vacuum-insulated cryogenic pipeline to the quayside.
