European CORE LNGas hive project: integrated logistics chain

The leaders of this innovative project are the Ports of the State and ENAGÁS, with the participation of 41 members, including the Tarragona Port Authority. The overall duration is from 2014 to the end of 2020. The project aims to develop an integrated, safe and efficient logistics system for supplying LNG as a fuel in the transport sector, especially marine transport in the Iberian Peninsula, as well as providing infrastructure facilities for supplying LNG in ports that have a re-gasification plant. In addition, ports that are interested in this topic are also participating in the project.

Responsible for the innovation project:

Strategic, Quality and Innovation management, as well as the Corporate Development and Sustainability management of the Tarragona Port Authority.

Description of the innovation project/innovation action:

CORE LNGas hive contributes to the needs and goals in order to test the technical, economic and commercial feasibility of innovative pilots in order to launch an implementation plan for all the ports and develop the technical specifications corresponding to the different pilot technologies.

This is why work is being done on studies and “pilots” in addition to project management, impact assessment and dissemination activities that are common to any initiative.

The TPA has been responsible for carrying out the feasibility studies on gasifying the railway shunting services in the Port of Tarragona and the engineering study into the processes needed to transform a locomotive with diesel traction into one with LNG traction. In the case of the Port of Tarragona, the duration of the project is from 2015 to the end of 2018.

Objectives of the innovation project:

CORE LNGas hive is a proposal focused mainly on the deployment of LNG as  a fuel in shipping and also in the operations carried out in the ports of Spain and Portugal and with the central Atlantic and Mediterranean corridors of the Trans-European Transport Networks. The latter are aimed at supporting the application of Directive 2014/94 concerning the introduction of alternative fuels, in addition to monitoring Directive 2012/33 relating to the sulphur content of fuels for maritime use.

Expected benefits of the innovation project:

An increase in the use of LNG as a fuel in the different modes of transport and machinery used by the Port of Tarragona. This will result in an improvement in air quality.