EMEA News
Shell Deal Prompts Gibraltar Opposition to Again Voice Concern Over LNG Bunkering
Following Friday's deal between Her Majesty's Government of Gibraltar (HMGoG) and Royal Dutch Shell plc (Shell) for the construction of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) regasification unit, the Gibraltar Social Democrat (GSD) opposition party has once again expressed concern over the possibility it will lead to LNG bunkering at the Port of Gibraltar.
"The GSD notes the statement made by the Government in which it announces a deal with Shell for the running of an LNG regasification plant as part of the process to provide LNG to fuel the power station. It further notes that the Government strongly alludes to the fact that LNG bunkering is to take place in the future. This of course is where the real interest lies for Shell, as we have stated all along," GSD said in a statement posted Monday on its official Facebook page.
"While Government states that this would take place 'following environmental assessments and safeguards', the GSD is yet to see in the public domain anything definitive that makes the present plans acceptably safe, let alone increasing activity with future bunkering."
Of particular concern to the GSD is that the Ministry of Defense (MoD)'s opinion on the Environmental Impact Assessment for the project was discussed behind closed doors.
"Nothing about a project of this scale and public interest should be dealt with in secret," it said.
GSD argues that an increase in LNG vessels in Gibraltar will lead to an associated increase in safety risk.
For it's part, HMGoG has previously labelled GSD's comments over safety as "alarmist" and in the case of one report on the matter, misleading.
