Spanish port system’s first natural gas station is officially opened
HAM, Port de Barcelona and GALP have presented the first natural gas station of the state port system, a key facility to promote the use of natural gas as an alternative fuel for road transport. The station is located at GALP service station on the Y Street in the Port of Barcelona and is the result of the agreement between HAM, in charge of the construction and operation of the LNG station, and GALP, which has carried out the improvement of the facilities. The construction has been financed by European funds, through the CHAMeleon project, aimed at developing natural gas refueling infrastructure in the Barcelona-Slovenia land corridor. The new facility has two CNG dispensers for cars and trucks, two LNG dispensers for trucks and a cryogenic LNG tank of 60 m3 of capacity. The commissioning of this infrastructure is part of the Port of Barcelona’s Air Quality Improvement Plan, which aims to effectively reduce emissions from port activity. “This natural gas station is proof of the strong will of the Port of Barcelona to promote the use of an alternative, clean and sustainable fuel such as natural gas, which significantly reduces nitrogen oxide emissions and eliminates completely Fine particles and oxides of sulfur,” said Mercè Conesa, president of the Port of Barcelona. In the port area it is estimated that around 2,200 trucks transport goods to various destinations and origins of the area of influence (hinterland) of the Port. Currently, more than 60 trucks are powered by natural gas, either with dedicated engines (that run exclusively on natural gas) or with dual fuel engines (which combine the use of diesel and natural gas). Of these, 26 trucks were transformed into the dual system thanks to the RePort project, led and coordinated by the Port of Barcelona with the support of ACCIÓ. This natural gas station stands out, as pointed out by the Head of Marketing and Strategy of the HAM Group, Antoni Murugó Solé, for its “excellent location in a key logistics point such as the Port of Barcelona.” “This station is added to the 21 stations operated by HAM and confirms our commitment to the environment and our firm commitment to LNG as a fuel for heavy transport,” he added. Likewise, “this natural gas station is a key element to guarantee the supply of natural gas to the trucks operating in the Port area, to promote the use of this alternative fuel and, ultimately, to improve the quality of the air we breathe,” stressed Conesa. The commercial manager of Gas&Power of GALP, Fernando Martín-Nieto Vaquero, explained how the newly inaugurated installation is “one more step” within the GALP transversal sustainability action plan. “GALP’s commitment to combat climate change pivots on three axes: reducing emissions associated with fuels; promote energy efficiency and the incorporation of renewable energies; and actively participate in the development of sustainable mobility solutions,” Martín-Nieto stressed. The Iberian Peninsula currently offers one of the fastest growing markets in terms of the adoption of natural gas in both road and maritime transport. In this extremely encouraging scenario, AltFuels Iberia 2019 will take place on 11-14 June at IFEMA Trade Center, Madrid. It will be an event consisting of first level conferences and exhibition of vehicles of all kinds, refueling stations, components, plants, road and marine engines, as well as the entire universe of the alternative fuels industry with the latest technological developments, multiple options for networking, business and new advances. For more information, please contact info@altfuelsiberia.com.
