Compared to traditional fuels, LNG eliminates 100% of all sulfur oxide (SOX) emissions, between 80 and 90% of nitrogen oxide (NOX) and between 20 and 30% of CO2, which is already a help towards meeting increasingly stricter environmental rules in the maritime sector and making progress in the decarbonization of the Mediterranean and Atlantic corridors, in line with European Union strategy on alternative fuel infrastructures (Clean Power for Transport).
The 'LNGHIVE2' project, as a continuation of 'CORE LNGas hive', is led by Puertos del Estado and has 47 partners in Spain and Portugal. This initiative promotes LNG supply as fuel in the transportation sector, particularly by sea, with over 39 projects and a total investment of 139 million Euros, and 39 million Euros co-financed by the European Union.
This initiative has allowed a readjustment of Spanish regasification plants for LNG ship supply, including the start-up of supply barges, tugboats, cranes and electricity generators supplied with LNG, amongst other developments. As a result of this project, the volume of LNG bunkering in Spain over 2019 has reached 68,500 m3.
The President of Puertos del Estado, Salvador de la Encina, has pointed out during the Conference presentation that "the commitment of Spanish ports, as infrastructure managers, is to work to guarantee an efficient and safe supply of LNG in our ports and to facilitate market development over the next ten years; we will continue backing up projects that allow LNG to be supplied at competitive prices, encouraging the achievement of long-term supply agreements between distributors and shipowners". Furthermore, he has assured that "we will continue working towards regulating the service in order to provide an adequate framework for LNG supply to operate in our ports".
The presentation was also attended by the General Director for Energy, Mining and Reactivation of the Principality of Asturias, María Belarmina Díaz, and the President of the Port Authority of Gijón, Laureano Lourido, who has indicated that "the Port of Gijón will play a relevant role in the development of sustainable maritime transport". Lourido has added that "we have been working on this for some time now, and have adequate infrastructures, as well as the necessary capacity and resources to turn what is today a firm commitment into reality as soon as possible".
Along these lines, the CEO of Enagás, Marcelino Oreja, has pointed out that "LNG is the only available option to decarbonize heavy transport, particularly by sea, with a view to meeting greenhouse gas emission reduction targets for 2030 and 2050". In this regard, he has pointed out that "our LNG plants have pioneered bunkering and vessel refueling activities".
The Conference has also counted with the participation of the President of Balearia, Adolfo Utor, a company vouching for LNG use in its fleet of ships, and Carlo Coppola, Project Officer of the Executive Agency for Innovation and Networks (INEA), which manages European Commission programs in transportation, energy and telecommunication matters, as well as various representatives of other European projects to support sustainable mobility.
The 'CORE LNGas hive' project and 'LNGHIVE2' strategy
The aim of the 'CORE LNGas hive' project, cofinanced by the European Union, is to promote LNG supply as a transportation sector fuel, particularly in the maritime sector, in mainland Spain. Led by Puertos del Estado and coordinated by Enagás, the 'CORE LNGas hive' project has a total of 42 partners in Spain and Portugal. It is a public-private venture with 21 public partners, of which 8 are institutional and 13 are port authorities (to include the Port Authority of Gijón), and 21 industrial partners, such as shipowners, LNG operators and different service providers.
'LNGHIVE2' strategy, conceived as a branch of the 'CORE LNGas hive' project, develops liquefied natural gas infrastructures for transportation, to include gas stations and LNG-powered vessels.
