LNG as fuel in maritime and road transport and energy solution in off-grid destinations is gathering ground throughout Europe. The GLE small-scale LNG map launched today for the first time provides the LNG industry and interested parties with an overview of the available, planned and announced small-scale LNG infrastructure and services in Europe.

LNG is an attractive solution for supplying energy to communities and industrial sites not connected to a pipeline network. LNG also has a very promising future in freight transport and shipping due to its favorable emissions profile. Compared to diesel or heavy fuel oil, natural gas has the smallest carbon footprint and switching to natural gas also has an immediate impact on air quality and health:

• up to 20% less CO2;
• up to 90% less nitrogen oxide (NOx);
• negligible quantity of sulphur and particulates.

Wim Groenendijk, GLE President, stated: “GLE represents 16 LNG terminal operators in 9 European countries and has gathered all information available among its members to provide this first small-scale LNG map for Europe. We are committed to keep the map updated and welcome any comments or suggestions for improvement.”

Pieterjan Renier, GLE Vice-President and Chairman of the GLE Small Scale LNG Work Group: “For small-scale LNG solutions to gain momentum LNG operators are developing new infrastructure and services to accommodate transport of LNG by road and fuelling facilities for trucks, trains and ships. However, visibility of these initiatives is fragmented and the GLE small-scale LNG map fills this gap for the market.”

The newly launched GLE small-scale LNG map provides the following information:

• LNG import terminals offering new LNG services
  • Reloading: Transfer of LNG from the LNG reservoirs of the terminal into a vessel
  • Transshipment: Direct transfer of LNG from one vessel into another
  • Loading of bunker ships: LNG is loaded on bunkering ships which supply to LNG-fuelled ships or LNG bunkering facilities for vessels
  • Truck loading: LNG is loaded on tank trucks which transport LNG in smaller quantities
  • Rail loading: LNG is loaded on rail tanks which transport LNG in smaller quantities
• LNG small-scale liquefaction plants: LNG is produced in small scale liquefaction plants to respond to peak shaving demand or make available natural gas to regions where it is not economically or technically feasible to build new pipelines.
• LNG bunkering facilities for vessels: This stationary facility allows ships to bunker LNG to be used as fuel for the vessel.
• LNG bunker ship: This ship supplies LNG directly to LNG-fuelled ships or to LNG bunkering facilities for vessels.
• LNG refuelling stations for trucks: This facility allows trucks to fill LNG to be used as fuel.
• LNG satellite storage: They enable to store LNG in small quantities in areas where there is no high pressure pipeline. LNG is delivered mainly by trucks (but also by small LNG ships) to these satellite plants where it is then stored and regasified into the natural gas distribution networks or used by an end user.

The European small-scale LNG MAP is accessible at: http://www.gie.eu/index.php/maps-data

Note to Editors

Gas LNG Europe (GLE) currently comprises 16 European LNG terminal operators from 9 countries, representing more than 90% of all the existing LNG regasification capacity in Europe. GLE is one of the columns of GIE, Gas Infrastructure Europe, the European association of the Transmission, Storage and LNG terminal Operators.

GLE is committed to promoting the development of a fully operational European internal market for LNG and the creation of a stable and predictable regulatory framework which is conductive to investments and which ensures transparency and non‐discriminatory treatment.

Press Contact

Should you require any further information please contact:

• Marion Nikodym
  T : +32 2 209 05 02
  E: marion.nikodym@gie.eu