Port of Gothenburg Ushers In LNG Bunkering

Ships running on liquefied natural gas (LNG) are going to be able to bunker this environmentally-friendly fuel at the Port of Gothenburg, as new regulations for LNG bunkering have been introduced by the Gothenburg Port Authority in collaboration with the Port of Rotterdam and the Swedish Transport Agency.

The regulations will allow cargo ships to bunker LNG at a cargo terminal and are the first general regulations to be introduced in Sweden.

“We firmly believe that liquefied natural gas is the marine fuel of the future. The new regulations will have a key role to play in bringing added momentum to our region,” said Dan-Erik Andersson, Vice President Operations at the Port of Gothenburg Energy Port.

The regulations cover bunkering from land using a road truck and from a bunker vessel. Requirements governing safety zones, weather, bunker vessels, receiving vessels, terminals and other aspects are included in the new operating regulations.

“It is particularly pleasing that many ports in Sweden and in other countries have shown great interest in what we have done and are formulating their regulations using our regulations as a template. Even public agencies such as the US Coastguard have contacted us and are interested in an exchange of knowledge,” said Andersson.

As informed by the port authority, by next year, the Port of Gothenburg will be visited regularly by LNG-powered ships, as tanker operators Terntank, Furetank and Thun Tankers are all due to launch new ships that will be equipped to run on LNG.

“We expect to receive a visit from an LNG-powered ship once or twice a week next year and many will take the opportunity to bunker in Gothenburg,” Andersson added.

For the time being, natural gas will come from terminals outside Gothenburg although eventually there will be an import terminal for LNG at the Port of Gothenburg.

At the turn of the year a new port tariff was introduced at the Port of Gothenburg, which means that LNG-powered ships will receive a 30 per cent discount on the port charge when they visit the port.

“Our considerably discounted port charge, together with the new regulations, will provide an excellent incentive for our shipping company clients to switch from oil to liquefied natural gas,” Dan-Erik Andersson concluded.