The EU will through its TEN-T Programme set aside close to EUR 4 million (USD 5m) for the pilot construction of the UK’s first liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunker at Teesport near Middlesbrough and the LNG propulsion system of two new ships.
This project is a real breakthrough in the use of LNG for short sea shipping as it will develop a dedicated LNG supply and demand chain in the UK. It will also demonstrate the viability of LNG as an environmentally sound alternative to present marine fuels, as well as its high potential for short sea shipping in the UK and the North Sea.
The project will deploy a LNG bunkering facility in the Port of Teesport and test an LNG fuel system on two ethylene carriers in the sea.
The project will also encourage the use of LNG for marine and road transport in the UK by performing technical and market studies in other ports with the aim to roll-out LNG technology countrywide.
The project was selected for funding with the assistance of external experts under the TEN-T Annual Call 2013, priority ‘Decarbonisation / oil substitution or environmental cost reduction’. Its implementation will be monitored by INEA, the European Commission’s Innovation and Networks Executive Agency. The project is to be completed by December 2015.
Press Release; Image: PD Ports