Study to assess potential for use of bio-LNG as transport fuel in Port of Rotterdam

The Port of Rotterdam Authority and the National LNG Platform intend to study the possibilities of developing LNG from renewable sources as a transport fuel in the port of Rotterdam.

The port authority noted in its statement that relying on bio-LNGG rather than regular LNG allows users to drastically reduce CO₂ emission levels.

Electric transport options are expected to form a major means to cut back CO₂ emissions in passenger transport over the next few years. But for the moment, electric propulsion systems are not a viable alternative for inland shipping, maritime shipping and heavy road transport.

“Bio-LNG offers another advantage: the emitted CO₂ is part of a so-called short cycle: CO₂ emissions are actually neutralized by the associated CO₂ uptake. In other words, bio LNG is a sustainable option that can be both used as a stand-alone fuel or mixed with fossil-based LNG,”  port of Rotterdam said.

LNG is already supplied as a transport fuel to shipping and heavy road transport from the Gate Terminal (operated by Gasunie and Vopak) in the port of Rotterdam. The Port Authority and the National LNG Platform will now be jointly examining the opportunities there are to develop bio-LNG as a transport fuel in the port of Rotterdam.

The study can be broken down into three key elements. In the first place, the existing and expected availability of production technologies and processes in the period until 2030.

Secondly, a market study that includes scenarios that go into the availability of sustainable feedstock and the future development of demand. And finally, business cases for the production, transport and transshipment of bio-LNG in Rotterdam’s port area.

A total of eight companies that are members of the National LNG Platform will be supporting the study with their technical, legal and financial expertise and knowledge of the market. The partners aim to round off the study by the second half of 2017.

The partners aim to round off the study by the second half of 2017. Based on the research findings, it will be decided whether Rotterdam will be developing a bio-LNG program.