John Culatto
CARGO ships and tankers that use Liquid Natural Gas as their main fuel will now be able to get topped up on the Rock.
Shell first made its application to have an LNG bunkering permit in 2019 and it has now been approved by the Gibraltar Government.
It follows the agreement made with the government to supply the cleaner fuel to Gibraltar’s power station.
Shell has now completed the formalities and have been granted a port operator licence.
Minister for the Port, the Hon Vijay Daryanani said: “I am pleased to see that Shell has been successful in its application and welcome the trust and confidence that Shell continues to place in Gibraltar,
“The Gibraltar Port Authority now looks forward to working with Shell to further develop the range of bunkering service as the Port of Gibraltar to include LNG bunkering.
“This is in line with the aspiration to keep Gibraltar on the leading edge of developments in the bunkering industry and to reinforce our position as a bunkering hub”.
There are big plans for LNG to become the driving force of shipping in the future as it is a cleaner fuel in ample supply.
The European Parliament voted on October 6, 2020 to reduce the carbon footprint by 60% with LNG or hydrogen being the preferred alternatives to fossil fuels.
As a result, Germany has already created a €1 billion scheme to allow ships to use LNG.
The UK is following suit too as it tries to reach IMO targets, with Shell being the second biggest player in the market after Flogas Britain.
“I am delighted that a prestigious entity such as Shell should be operating from Gibraltar Port,” said Chief Minister Fabian Picardo.
“Including LNG bunkering as one of the services on offer at our port demonstrates our forward thinking approach to developing the maritime industry.
“It is also ensuring that Gibraltar is part of the transition to cleaner fuels and reduced environmental impact”.
