EMEA News
Port of Barcelona Looks to LNG Bunkers and Green Ship Discounts for Emissions Reductions
The Port of Barcelona today announced that, as part of its Air Quality Improvement Plan, it will promote the use of liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkers, as well as what it calls an "ambitious" policy to provide discounts for cleaner ships.
"Over the last two decades our Port has led the way on environmental issues and we are firmly committed to continuing in this leading role. We are aware that our responsibility as a public company is to lead the change towards a more sustainable model" said Sixte Cambra, Port of Barcelona president.
As Ship & Bunker reported in June, Cambra and Marcelino Oreja, CEO of Enagás, S.A. (Enagás) signed an agreement establishing logistics services for LNG at an Enagás-managed regasification plant at the port - a move Enagás said would speed the uptake of LNG as fuel for transportation, including shipping.
Then in September, Compañía Española de Petróleos, S.A.U. (Cepsa) announced it is slated to operate the first multi-product barge in Europe, which will be operated out of Barcelona, intended to bunker ships with LNG.
In addition to the port's strategy to promote LNG adoption, the port says its proposed plan to implement a discount for cleaner ships is intended to attract cleaner ferries, cruise, and cargo ships to the port.
The law currently allows a maximum environmental discount for ships of 5 percent, but the port authority, which calls this a "very small margin for building an ambitious environmental strategy," is looking to have this maximum increased to 40 percent.
"The Port of Barcelona will ask the Ministry to amend the Ports Law in order to implement environmental discounts of up to 40 percent of ships' fees, just like the ports of northern Europe (Rotterdam, Hamburg, Antwerp)," said José Alberto Carbonell, Port of Barcelona General Manager.
"The discount applied to port fees is a very important tool, since it is a fundamental instrument for bringing about change in the vessels," noted Carbonell.
The Air Quality Improvement Plan, which involves 25 actions rolled out in 53 operations, including the renewal of the port's fleet with electric vehicles and a number of Ro-Ro vessels receiving electric auxillary engines, has been approved by the Port's Management Board and presented to the Table on Air Quality in the Barcelona Conurbation.
