On October 31, 2019, PitPoint opens Europe’s first shore-to-ship Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) bunker station for inland shipping at the Niehler Hafen in Cologne. The opening of this station represents a concrete step towards facilitating clean maritime transport.
The new LNG bunker station is part of PitPoint.LNG’s plans to develop a European LNG infrastructure for heavy-duty transport by road and water and is co-financed by the European Union. The strategic location of the station between Basel and Rotterdam and good access to the location were the main reasons for choosing the Port of Cologne.
Lower emissions and improved air quality
LNG is the cleanest fuel currently available for (heavy-duty) maritime transport. The biggest benefit of using LNG lies in the reduced emission of fine particulates and NOₓ. Based on current European emission standards (CCNR II), LNG-fuelled engines produce 20% less CO₂, at least 80% less NOₓ and more than 99% less fine particulates than diesel-powered engines. The significant reduction in these harmful substances will have a direct positive impact on air quality. LNG is also seen as a transition fuel and as a step towards even cleaner and CO2-neutral bio-LNG.
Faster transit for LNG-fuelled vessels
With the new shore-to-ship bunker station in place along Europe’s busiest waterway, another positive step has been taken in developing the LNG infrastructure required for facilitating the uptake of LNG as fuel for maritime transport. The new shore-to-ship bunkering station significantly expedites the bunkering process. Where LNG-fuelled vessels were required to submit a request and schedule an appointment to purchase LNG from a truck-to-ship bunkering station, shore-to-ship bunkering can now be done faster and easier via the station’s powerful pumps. Moreover, the shore-to-ship bunker station is open 24/7, with professional service engineers available to provide bunkering services. In the near future, the station will be able to fuel two vessels at the same time.