LNG network also anchors in Belgium
Sea-LNG, a multi-sector industry coalition that aims to foster LNG’s benefits as a viable marine fuel, has won the port of Zeebrugge as a new member.
The infrastructure to store and transfer LNG marine fuel has been used in Zeebrugge since 1987. The port is one of the major hubs for LNG supply in the region, with pipelines from Norway and the UK, and vessel imports from Qatar. The port’s LNG terminal, operated by Fluxys, offers re-gasification and provides distribution in Belgium and across the European network in pipelines, trucks and ships.
On-site storage is equal to 9 billion m³ of LNG a year. The Belgian port was one of the pioneers of the development of LNG bunkering in Europe, with one of the first purpose-built LNG bunkering vessels, the ‘Engie Zeebrugge’ (now the ‘Green Zeebrugge’), commencing operations there in June 2017.
In 2021, nearly one-third of orders for vessel newbuilds (by capacity) were powered by LNG. Globally, LNG bunkering infrastructure is growing rapidly, with Clarksons forecasting that by the end of 2022 LNG bunkering will be available in 170 ports worldwide. (sh)