Paweł Jakubowski: the operations on the LNG terminal in Świnoujście is gaining momentum
On 6th September 2018 in Szczecin, Polskie LNG was incorporated into the BPO's structure during the annual Baltic Ports Conference held for the second time in its history in Poland. The meeting is of particular importance for West Pomerania region which plays an important role in the Baltic Sea basin owing to the LNG terminal in Świnoujście, says Polskie LNG. The event held on 5-7 September in Radisson Blu hotel in Szczecin is co-hosted by the Szczecin and Świnoujście Seaports Authority and Polskie LNG. By submitting a membership declaration, Polskie LNG company has ratified its ongoing cooperation with the BPO - an active participant of many seaport-related debates including the European Ports Forum framing the EU maritime transport policy.
- We greatly appreciate the BPO's activities aimed at supporting the development of LNG as fuel in maritime transport. Owing to this organization, the voice of the industry is heard in many key decision-making centres. The LNG terminal in Świnoujście is a facility of particular importance in the Baltic Sea region due to its parameters, location and continuously developed services it provides. Our membership in the BPO will allow us to prompt the discussion on the role and importance of liquefied natural gas in the region. Our intention is to actively participate in working group meetings in order to articulate effectively our position on international forums together with other BPO members - declared Paweł Jakubowski, President of the Management Board of Polskie LNG who was among the speakers at the BPO conference in Szczecin. His speech about expansion plans for the LNG terminal in Świnoujście and the role of the gas terminal as a gateway to the natural gas market in Central and Eastern Europe is scheduled for Friday, 7th September.
Polskie LNG is currently launching the Expansion Program of the LNG Terminal in Świnoujście planned for implementation over the next 4 or 5 years and involving the following four projects: increasing the regasification capacity of the plant from 5 to 7.5 bcm, construction of a second jetty for smaller vessels, the third LNG process storage tank with the capacity of 180,000 m3, and the construction of a railway siding for trans-shipment of liquefied gas onto rail tankers and ISO containers.
The project encompassing the development of new services including loading and unloading small and medium-size methane vessels, i.e. the so-called LNG transhipment from LNG carriers to other vessels, LNG bunkering from onshore facility to ship, as well as LNG loading on bunker vessels (so-called bunkers) seems to be of particular relevance in the context of cooperation with the Baltic Sea ports.
The expansion program of the Świnoujście terminal is the response to the transformation of the Baltic LNG market. It is forecasted that the import of LNG as marine fuel will grow in our region. Moreover, in January 2015, the so-called Sulphur Directive adopted by the European Parliament adjusting EU regulations to the guidelines of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) relating to the use of marine fuels with 0.1% sulphur content instead of 3.5% entered into force in SECA (Sulphur Oxide Emission Control Area). Other regulation applicable to the Baltic Sea area imposes limits on nitrogen emissions (NOx Emission Control Area - NECA). Ship owners already recognize the positive impact of switching their vessels to LNG fuel and follow with gradual modifications in their fleet, but they also indicate shortage of adequate infrastructure for LNG bunkering in the nearby ports. In this respect, the potential of the LNG Terminal in Świnoujście will soon be fully tapped.
Baltic Ports Organization – BPO – established in 1991. As a non-profit organization, it unites regional ports at the Baltic Sea. Established to promote cooperation among ports, as well as to monitor and develop the opportunities arising in front of the maritime industry in the Baltic Sea region. Today, the main objective of the organization is the sustainable development of maritime transport and port industry within the Baltic Sea basin. Currently, three Polish ports - Gdańsk, Gdynia and Szczecin-Świnoujście are members of the BPO. The headquarters of the Baltic Ports Organization is in Tallinn, while Polish branch office of the organization is located in Gdynia.
