The Antwerp Port Authority has signed a 30-year concession agreement with energy provider ENGIE to develop an Alternative Energy Hub for liquefied natural gas (LNG) at the port.
The Alternative Energy Hub will be the first shore-to-ship LNG bunkering in Europe for inland and coastal navigation, dredgers and tugboats.
The project is to consist of three different parts. An LNG shore-to-ship bunkering station for inland navigation; LNG and CNG filling stations for road transport; and charging stations for electric vehicles.
The port is currently working with 32 partners across Europe with the LNG Masterplan to make cleaner LNG fuel a reality in inland navigation and to provide opportunities for vessels to bring LNG to inland European ports. The use of LNG in the port will help to reduce gaseous emissions of CO2, sulphur oxides (SOx), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter.
ENGIE has previously promoted the use of LNG and CNG and will provide the construction, maintenance and management.
The concession will take effect on 1 October 2016. Following the construction of the LNG bunkering station, LNG will permanently be and continuously available in the port from 2017 onwards.
Photo courtesy of ENGIE.
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