The funds were secured through the mechanism of the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) which promotes more sustainable and efficient transport.
In general, the European Commission will endorse a number of initiatives, including the construction of two new projects in Barcelona and Algeciras, organized by Enagás, to supply liquefied natural gas ( LNG) to ships – bunkering-.
The participants in these projects are Enagás, Scale Gas, a subsidiary of the group, Knutsen, the Barcelona Port Authority and Bahía de Algeciras.
In compliance with EU Directive 94/2014 on alternative fuels, these projects are framed within the LNGhive2 institutional strategy led by Puertos del Estado to promote the growth of the LNG market as a marine fuel and to guarantee its bunkering in the ports.
The EU gives priority to short sea shipping projects using alternative fuels and the construction of shore-side energy supply systems to reduce pollution from ships in ports.
The initiatives proposed by LNGhive2 follow the initiatives already underway under the CORE LNGas hive project for small-scale supply and adaptation of the infrastructure and logistics.
LNG is today the best choice for promoting maritime transport decarbonisation, Enagás said. This is a fuel that meets International Maritime Organization ( IMO) requirements, which set the sulfur content limit at 0.5 per cent in January 2020.
A total of 38,663 cubic meters of LNG was supplied in 2019, with a projected supply of 62,837 cubic meters in 2020. There are 169 LNG-powered vessels operating in the country, 222 ordered and 126 ready for LNG.
In addition, six of the 15 barges currently delivering LNG worldwide have worked in Spain in recent years , increasing the country 's position in delivering ships with LNG.
Maritime Business World