FSRU Toscana Decisive for Development of LNG in Italy

The Terminal “FSRU Toscana” is an essential infrastructure for the launch and the development of liquefied natural gas used as clean fuel for maritime and land transport in Italy and in the Mediterranean Sea Area. This emerged from the first session of works during the 2° Conference on LNG, developed by Symposia and WEC-World Energy Council Italia in Rome.

“The plant of Livorno” – as the company underlined – “has two undeniable advantages. Thanks to its structure, in fact, the regasification plant is in possession of the requirements to represent a potential LNG bunkering structure, which can be downloaded from LNG carriers with a transport capacity up to 155.000 cubic meters. Through mininal interventions on the design of the Terminal, in fact, the OLT plant could receive small LNG barges, that will be able to load the necessary amount of LNG for the supply addressed to the refueling structures in the ports of the Mediterranean Sea.”

By the end of 2014 the European Union will finalize the list of standard requirements needed to request the necessary authorizations and certifications. “Moreover, the OLT Terminal is located in a strategic position in the Mediterranean Sea Area and it is well connected with the main commercial yards,” the company said in a press statement. In the ports, in fact, may arise real “service stations” where both boats and land vehicles powered by LNG would be able to refuel.

As already underlined by the Ministry for Economic Development – that intended to establish a national working group involving national associations, Regions, Port Authorities and other business groups – according to the latest EU directives, in the forthcoming future, it will be necessary to focus on LNG to drastically reduce pollutant emissions caused by transport.

OLT took part to the initiative during the first day of the works. As a representative of the company, Alberto Ton, OLT’s Commercial manager, participated to the roundtable on the topic “Strategies and initiatives for the supply and logistics of LNG for transport”, which was also attended by Eni and Edison.