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Two conference days, three plenary sessions, four theme sessions, six technical seminars, 24 companies present, 80 speakers involved (25% international) and, most importantly, 604 participants are the measure of the success of ConferenzaGNL and ExpoGNL (www.conferenzagnl.com), held at the Mostra d’Oltremare fairgrounds in Naples on 10 and 11 May.
The 350 delegates who took part at the ConferenzaGNL closely followed the debates, questions posted, and interviews with speakers, gaining ideas and opportunities for professional and entrepreneurial initiatives, at this international event in its fourth year dedicated to direct uses of liquid methane as fuel for all possible uses.
The operators, who visited the second ExpoGNL and who attended the technical seminars came into contact with the most dynamic and important companies in the sector, and expanded their knowledge of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and its applications.
It was an opportunity to gain information and for development for operators wanting to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the use of this new fuel, who were able to "get their hands on" projects, products and vehicles.
Organized by Mirumir in collaboration with WEC Italia, ConferenzaGNL is credited with taking the LNG discussion and technology to the "capital of the South”, the commercial point of reference for the Mediterranean area.
Support for Naples as the host city for the two parallel events has been unanimous. The response from local entrepreneurs and institution has exceeded expectations: the president of the port authority of Naples participated in two of the meetings and the deputy mayor of Naples spoke at the M.A.R.E. session, an LNG and biogas bio-LNG development project, put on by the Chemical Engineering Department at the Federico II University in Naples.
The announcement confirmed and explained by Pietro Spirito, President of the Mar Tirreno Centrale Port Authority, about the planned call for expressions of interest to build a coastal deposit to ensure the supply of LNG to ships calling at the port of Naples, with an indication also of the area designated for this purpose, has accelerated the investment prospects because it moves the opportunity to use LNG in the South of Italy by hundreds of kilometres. The forecast by REF-E of approximately 1.3 billion euro in industry investments over the next 30 months has been confirmed.
But the thirst for novelty and the impetus to take advantage of the investment and employment opportunities offered by LNG and the development of its use is not limited to Naples and its surroundings. Delegates came from all regions in the South (Sicily in particular) and the Centre-North, confirming that the ConferenzaGNL and ExpoGNL are now consolidated and recognized as some of the most important events in the Euro-Mediterranean area.
The participation of twenty international speakers from Spain, France, China, the United States, Norway, representatives form the European Union and the IMO (International Maritime Organization, a UN agency), is confirmation of the international identity of the event.
Value was also added by the involvement of representatives from countries on southern Mediterranean shores, such as Malta, Morocco, Jordan, Israel, and MEDREG partners (a Mediterranean association of gas distribution network operators) and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (also a body of the UN), improving prospects for the evolution and advancement of applications.
The participation of some key players from the maritime sector was also significant, such as Ennio Cascetta, a close collaborator to the Italian Minister of Infrastructure and Transportation and the president of the Port Authority of Civitavecchia, the main port for cruise ships in the Mediterranean, who announced the upcoming supply of LNG to a cruise ship of the Aida class.
The two conference days, during which all aspects of the market and economy and technical regulations for the development of the industry, ended with an international round table that focused on a message from the Minister of Transportation for the Russian Federation, Maksim Sokolov.
The two conference days ended with an international round table and the session by the Director General for energy for MISE, Gilberto Dialuce, while his colleague, Liliana Panei, followed all the proceedings and spoke at the session dedicated to the development of small isolated networks, and Sardinia's shift to natural gas using coastal deposits of LNG.
In his presentation, Gilberto Dialuce confirmed that the next Italian national energy plan will address the small scale LNG market for the first time in Italy for its role on the energy market and in low emission mobility, and respecting the environmental parameters established by international agreements.
The success of ConferenzaGNL and ExpoGNL would not however be possible if industry companies (in addition to associations and the specialist press) do not continue to develop this market that has grown from nothing in just a few years, guided only by its intuition and stubborn entrepreneurial expertise when tackling the volatility of the world energy markets.
These are companies, associations and people present in Naples: Assogasliquidi, Bernardini, Boldrin Group, Consorzio Ecogas, Cotrako, Dnv GL, Ecomobile, Ecomotive Solutions, Edison, Fores Engineering Services, Gainn4core, Ham Italia, Hvm, Iveco, Liquigas, Liquimet, MES, Ngv Italy, Olt, Polargas, PowerJetLpi, Safe, Snam, Staffetta Quotidiana, Tecnogas, Transadriatico, Wärtsilä
The growth in interest in the use of LNG for sea and land transportation in industries and isolated networks has also boosted Mirumir's interest in the sector. It is committed to playing an active role in the organization of events to expand upon and explore various aspects of the use of liquefied natural gas over the upcoming months.
