EMEA News
Battle Over Gibraltar LNG Bunkering Facility Continues
As part of a longstanding feud with the government over liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering in Gibraltar, the Gibraltar Social Democrat (GSD) opposition party has again accused the government of being unclear over its plans for a proposed LNG storage and bunkering facility, local media reports.
Ship & Bunker previously reported that tensions rose after the GSD accused the government of unilaterally incorporating the LNG facility in with an existing power plant project.
According to reports, Minister for Health and Environment John Cortes recently made comments that the LNG storage facilities would be "small," which GSD spokesman Trevor Hammond said was "deliberately creating uncertainty to avoid proper inquiry."
"It's time for the Government to be clear with the electorate on their plans for the power station and associated facilities including LNG storage," he said.
"It is all a ruse to avoid proper public scrutiny of their plans ahead of the General Election."
The GSD also said that Cortes had failed to "quantify what he considers a 'small' quantity of LNG," adding that the European Union (EU) has regulations in place to determine safety for different amounts of LNG.
Meanwhile, the Gibraltar government has consistently dismissed the GSD's concerns as "alarmist."
Earlier this year, Ship & Bunker reported that the government had accused the GSD of overinflating the dangers of LNG, and instead highlighted the fact that bunkering LNG is both safer and cleaner than diesel bunkering
