EU funds Napa Ports LNG infrastructure development

The European Union, in the framework of the Ten-T call, co-funded North Adriatic Ports with 322.000 euros for the realization of a Masterplan to design a comprehensive value chain for the use of LNG and other low emission solutions. 

These actions will help to increase fleet competitiveness, efficiency, and sustainability while at the same time providing substantial environmental benefits as requested by the forthcoming stricter environmental regulations and the most recent EU directives, North Adriatic Ports said in a statement.

Project leader is Qatar Energy Europe with the support of partners from Italy, Greece, Qatar and shipping companies as Contship Italia and the Grimaldi Group.

The project leader for Napa Ports will be Venice Port Authority with a budget of 110.000 euros, Trieste (Italy), Koper (Slovenia) and Rijeka (Croatia) ports will have a budget of 70.000 euros each. The activities are in 50% cofinanced by European Union.

The action confirms the EU interest in supporting the future developement projects of Napa and Adriatic Ports and will contribute to develop ports infrastructures dedicated to the use of LNG and alternative energy sources. The aim of the activity is to examine the potential for LNG as marine fuel in the Northern Adriatic Ports and explore the area stakeholders view on this alternative fuel. The action is also aimed at analysing the possibility of using the electrical engines within the Port areas and to make investments in the electrification of docks.

This is the first project on alternative fuels in the Mediterranean and Adriatic Sea. It is the first Cross European Border project which aims to find appropriate solutions on alternative fuels according EU guidelines and world shipping industry trends considering local infrastructure and environmental characteristics.

Energy efficiency is one of the key points of the Napa strategy, as declared in the Memorandum of Understanding signed in Venice on behalf of all members – four ports (December 2013) – and is in line with priority objectives of the European Strategy for the Adriatic Ionian Macroregion.

The result of this activity will be a comprehensive Masterplan on alternative fuels deployment in the Northern Adriatic Ports and will be discussed, within December 2015, during a public conference that will validate the results of the respective assessments to the local and national stakeholders (including stakeholders from Serbia, Montenegro, Albania).

The first meeting between all project leaders took place in Athens, next meetings will happen locally within the end of October 2014.

Press Release, October 8, 2014; Image: Ports of Napa