Slovenian Port of Koper to Develop LNG Bunkering Capacity

by Ship & Bunker News Team
Tuesday April 11, 2017

Slovenia's Port of Koper says it is looking to develop liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering at the port in order meet the need for European Union (EU) core ports to support LNG-powered vessels.

"The National spatial plan for comprehensive spatial arrangement of the international port in Koper doesn't foresee the existence of fixed infrastructure for LNG, nevertheless since the Port of Koper is among Core EU ports, it has to guarantee support to LNG powered vessels," explained the port.

Uroš Prosen, director of TGE Gas Engineering Slovenia, says space limitations at the port, as well as safety issues, means that the supporting infrastructure will not be fixed.

"The refuel would be possible only with mobile solutions – for example through specialized feeder vessels," said Prosen, adding: "it seems that refuelling could be done only at anchorage and not at berth."

The news came in studies presented by the port as part of the Directive 2014/94/EU on deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure.

Under the directive, the EU Member States are to provide an appropriate number of LNG bunkering stations to enable vessels to travel throughout the TEN-T Core Network by the end of 2025.

Ship & Bunker News Team
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