Ports of Rotterdam and Gothenburg form LNG alliance
The largest port in Europe, the Port of Rotterdam, and the largest port in Scandinavia, the Port of Gothenburg, have entered a new alliance. The aim is to speed up the establishment of liquefied natural gas as a maritime fuel.
A memorandum of understanding will be signed between the Port of Rotterdam and the Port of Gothenburg. Both ports are located within the SECA area* in northern Europe where stricter rules governing sulphur in maritime fuel are due to be introduced in 2015. The aim is to have infrastructure for LNG bunkering available once the sulphur regulations come into effect.
“We see LNG as an important opportunity for the maritime industry to comply with the sulphur directive in 2015. The use of LNG as a fuel fits in our policy to become the most sustainable port. We consider the Port of Gothenburg as a strong partner in the Scandinavian market for this issue”, says Ronald Paul, COO, Rotterdam Port Authority
"We are extremely pleased that the largest port in Europe has joined forces with us in this important issue. Working together, we will have a very strong offering to the market," says Magnus Kårestedt, Port of Gothenburg Chief Executive.
LNG offers substantial environmental benefits. Sulphur and particle emissions would be reduced to almost zero, nitrogen oxide emissions by 85-90 per cent and net greenhouse gases by 15-20 per cent.
To achieve the LNG target at both ports by 2015, rapid development is required in a number of areas. The necessary infrastructure at the ports needs to be constructed and rules will need to be drafted for handling LNG. It is also vital that the two ports promote awareness of LNG as a maritime fuel.
The Port of Gothenburg is the largest port in the Nordic region with 11,000 visits by vessels each year. One-third of Swedish foreign trade passes through the Port of Gothenburg as well as 65 per cent of all container traffic.
The Port of Gothenburg is the only port in Sweden with the capacity to receive the world's largest container vessels and has the broadest range of shipping routes within and outside Europe. The 26 rail shuttles that depart each day mean that companies throughout Sweden and Norway have a direct, environmentally smart link to the largest port in the Nordic region. The Port of Gothenburg has terminals for oil, cars, ro-ro, containers and passengers.