Port of Rotterdam studies LNG opportunities

The Port of Rotterdam Authority and the National LNG Platform will be starting a joint study that focuses on opportunities to develop LNG from renewable sources as a transport fuel in the port.

LNG is considerably cleaner than other fuels, and engines that run on the fuel also generate less noise. Relying on bio LNG rather than regular LNG allows users to drastically reduce CO₂ emission levels.

LNG is already supplied as a transport fuel to shipping and heavy road transport from the Gate Terminal (operated by Gasunie and Vopak) in the Port of Rotterdam. The Port Authority and the National LNG Platform will now jointly examine the opportunities there are to develop bio LNG as a transport fuel. In the view of the LNG Platform, this partnership aligns very well with the current LNG covenant.

The study can be broken down into three key elements. In the first place, the existing and expected availability of production technologies and processes in the period until 2030; secondly, a market study that includes scenarios that go into the availability of sustainable feedstock and the future development of demand; and finally, business cases for the production, transport and transhipment of bio LNG in Rotterdam’s port area.

A total of eight companies that are members of the National LNG Platform will be supporting the study with their technical, legal and financial expertise and knowledge of the market. The partners aim to round off the study by the second half of 2017. Based on the research findings, it will be decided whether Rotterdam will be developing a bio LNG programme.

For more information visit www.portofrotterdam.com

3rd April 2017