• 04 Jul 2017

PitPoint.LNG, a joint venture formed by PitPoint Clean Fuels and Primagaz Nederland BV, announced that it will build Germany’s first liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering station in the harbor of Cologne. The new station will facilitate the bunkering of LNG powered inland waterways vessels that sail on Europe’s busiest transport waterway, the Rhine.

The construction is aligned with the company’s plan to develop a European LNG infrastructure to facilitate the uptake of LNG as fuel for road and marine transport. LNG is the most promising alternative marine fuel, as its combustion is cleaner than diesel combustion, it improves the local air quality and reduces CO2 emissions. LNG powered vessels help ship owners and operators meet emission standards set for shipping without requiring additional exhaust after treatment systems.

As from the start of operation, which is planned for at mid-2018, this LNG bunkering station will also bunker LNG for the inland dual-fuel barges that Shell Western LNG B.V. (Shell) has chartered. For this purpose, Shell and PitPoint.LNG have signed a long-term agreement.

Lauran Wetemans, Shell’s General Manager Downstream LNG, said: “Together with the infrastructure developed in Rotterdam, this station will expand the availability of LNG fuel for customers on the Rhine – Europe’s key inland waterway.”

This LNG bunkering station will be the first shore-to-ship LNG bunkering station of Germany and the first one to serve the busiest transport waterway of Europe (Rhine). Within Europe, Rhine countries account for 84% of goods transport on inland waterway.