Ships powered by liquefied natural gas, LNG, can expect a substantial reduction in the port tariff when they call at the Port of Gothenburg. The discount will come into effect in 2015 and will continue for four years. The aim is to induce more shipping companies to switch to cleaner fuel, the Port of Guthenburg said in a press release.
Magnus Kårestedt, Chief Executive at the Port of Gothenburg, says: "It has been our firm belief for a long time that LNG is the fuel of the future. This initiative is entirely in line with our ambition to reduce the environmental impact of shipping and create a sustainable Scandinavian freight hub."
LNG-powered ships receive a total tariff discount of 30 per cent when they call at the port. The discount will apply until December 2018. In one year alone this would represent a substantial saving for ships that call at the Port of Gothenburg on a regular basis.
There are considerable environmental benefits to be gained from using LNG in shipping and industry. Sulphur and particle emissions are reduced to almost zero, nitrogen emissions by 85-90 per cent and carbon dioxide emissions by 25 per cent.
Carl Carlsson of the Swedish Shipowners' Association highlights the leadership demonstrated by the Port of Gothenburg and their close understanding of the situation facing the shipping companies. "It's not technology that is the limiting factor, it's the financial considerations. Working within the framework of the Zero Vision Tool project, we will attempt to convince other ports in the Baltic to offer the same type of support."
From January 1, 2015, conditions for shipping in the Baltic and North Sea will change with the introduction of new, stricter regulations governing sulphur emissions. In response, the Port of Gothenburg will revise its port tariff.
Ships that maintain a high level of environmental performance will be recompensed. Two indexes will be applied as a basis for discounting – Environmental Ship Index, which is used by many ports around the world, and Clean Shipping Index, which is an environmental index where the freight-owners' make demands on the shipping industry.
At the same time, ships that switch from oil to LNG will receive a further discount.
Preparations are currently being made for the construction of a terminal at the Port of Gothenburg that will supply both shipping and industry with liquefied natural gas. The terminal is part of a collaborative venture between Rotterdam and Gothenburg to build an infrastructure for LNG, an initiative that is also supported by the EU.
Port of Gothenburg
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 60 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 25 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.
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