Muga Harbour hosts discussion on Baltic LNG infrastructure

Over 150 specialists, investors and port representatives gathered on the 25th of September at the international LNG seminar to discuss over the development of LNG infrastructure in the Baltic Sea ports. 

The seminar, which took place in Estonia, in Muuga Harbour, was organized by Baltic Ports Organization (BPO) and Port of Tallinn. Seminar’s keynote speech was given by the Vice-President of the European Commission Siim Kallas.

Main topics of the seminar were the impact of new LNG terminals in Estonia and Finland to the distribution of LNG in the region and the possibility to develop a small scale LNG bunkering network in the Baltic Sea region. Future visions of ship owners about LNG distribution network were also described.

According to Ain Kaljurand, the Chairman of the Management Board of Port of Tallinn, ensuring the transition from traditionally fuelled engines can be achieved with guaranteeing ship owners and ship operators possibilities to shift vessels between ports in the area without losing the access of LNG bunkers. „It is Port of Tallinn’s aim to ensure the availability of the necessary infrastructure in our harbours also after the environmental norms toughen, in order to guarantee the smooth and sustainable movement of cargo and passenger ships,” added Kaljurand.

„Thanks to BPO’s initiative already seven Baltic Sea ports have joined the LNG Baltic Sea program. These include Aarhus, Copenhagen-Malmö, Helsingborg, Helsinki, Stockholm and Turku ports and Port of Tallinn. This means that Baltic Sea ports are establishing an extensive network of ports with planned facilities for LNG bunkering in the region. This on its own will be a significant achievement in meeting the future clean shipping strategy in the Baltic Sea region and in EU,“ BPO’s Secretary General Bogdan Oldakowski explained the background of the event.

Among others, Ando Leppiman, the Deputy Secretary General for Energy of the Estonian Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communication, Bogdan Oldakowski, the Secretary General of BPO, Maria Hääl, Analyst at Alexela Energy and Ain Kaljurand, the Chairman of the Management Board of Port of Tallinn, spoke at the seminar.

„LNG in Baltic Sea Ports” is a Motorways of the Sea project co-financed by the EU TEN-T Multi-Annual Programme and offers a possibility in the process of adapting to the new SECA content limits that come into force in 2015. The initiative aims to foster a harmonised approach towards LNG bunker filling infrastructure in the Baltic Sea area.

Press Release, September 26, 2014; Image: Port of Tallin