Rotterdam LNG a step closer

Rotterdam’s website states that Hans Smits, CEO of the Port of Rotterdam Authority, has reached an agreement with the operator ECT to make land available for a ‘filling station’ between the Gate LNG terminal and Euromax container terminal.

Final details are still to be worked out though and an agreement is yet to be officially signed.

According to Mr Smits, the agreement was made at a meeting attended by ten companies, including Vopak, Shell and the Port of Rotterdam Authority, whereby a ‘Green Deal’ was signed with Minister for Economic Affairs, Maxime Verhagen.

Vopak and Gasunie opened the Gate LNG terminal on the Maasvlakte last year – but this liquefied gas delivered by the supertankers is destined mainly for power stations.

So Vopak wants to build a smaller €40m outbound terminal next to the existing one so that LNG can also be supplied as fuel for ships and to other LNG stations yet to be built in the country.

The port says that by 2015 it should be possible for at least 50 inland vessels, 50 ocean-going ships and 500 trucks to run on LNG.

This is all part of its strategy to collaborate with the government on the accelerated introduction of LNG as a transport fuel because of its positive effects on the environment and health, the economy and by reducing the country’s dependence on oil.