within the frame of the Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme 2014–2020 (ERDF part-financed)

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Increasing air pollution in port cities and strict environmental regulations (e.g. the introduction of the Sulphur directive as of IMO MARPOL Annex VI) made it crucial for the maritime and transport industries to search for alternative fuel and energy sources. Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) promises to present a solution for their dilemma.

Project "Go LNG" is a response to the ever-changing situation on the LNG market. It is focused on the development of demand and accessibility of LNG in the Baltic Sea Region (BSR). The project activities are aimed at the implementation of the EU Clean Fuel Strategy and the EU Directive on Deployment of Alternative Fuel Infrastructure in order to establish a strategic approach for the development of LNG infrastructure and promote its usage in the transport industry.

The strategy needs to be relevant for the industry as well as maintain and facilitate business partnerships, competence building and higher demand by adding users or providing business models for existing and upcoming LNG infrastructure.

LNG infrastructure is a pricing bottleneck. At some point it can reach more than 50% of the LNG energy cost, due to the fact that LNG is not yet widely used and is serves only one user. Therefore the GO LNG project is looking into possibilities to show how the existing LNG infrastructure and technology can benefit all LNG users and make it more competitive in terms of availability and pricing.

Subsequently, the project will establish a BSR LNG business cluster that will help the transport and marine technology industry be more competitive towards the Blue growth strategy, establishing the value chain for the BSR as a hub for clean shipping, competence and technology in LNG for transport. The aim of the cluster is to promote innovation and business projects, providing solutions for existing and upcoming users. It would also enhance everyday LNG usage i.e. LNG powered trucks and ships, LNG energy or LNG power for inland waterways.

The BSR already is one of the leaders in LNG usage, with LNG being one of the most relevant options in achieving environmental regulations (SECA, NECA) not only in Europe but all around the world. These regulations will soon apply to other regions, requiring from them working examples and solutions.

In order to use our advantageous position, we need a value chain able to provide worldwide LNG services, relevant to the maritime industry and building up on the fact that the BSR is the leader in this particular field. There is a plan to establish a BSR LNG competence center, working on the existing LNG polices, R&D and business models.

Baltic countries have already invested a significant amount of money into energy independence (Poland and Lithuania have built large scale import terminals, further small scale LNG terminals are coming) and there is a strong need to better utilize already existing infrastructure to open this new economic sector for local industries and expand the services, providing not only regasification but also bunkering and transshipment.

Regional industries would also benefit from governmental investments and higher energy security, increasing LNG usage as energy source and helping to cover the country's domestic energy demand. The GO LNG project is based on the MarTech LNG initiative that was a flagship project in the EUSBSR. The project gathered an efficient LNG business and expert network that already resulted in business projects valued at EUR 46 mln.

Since the GO LNG project is based on the previous initiative, it is very likely to be successful in establishing the BSR LNG business cluster and competence center. The GO LNG project was initiated due to stakeholder interest in a more structuralized business cooperation model and LNG knowledge distribution in the BSR. The project consortium consists of 18 partners from 6 different countries and gathers all major LNG stakeholders in the BSR.

The content of the project is based on:

The Strategy and LNG Corridors (WP2):
The aim is to establish a strategic approach to the LNG infrastructure development and mobilize the critical mass of technology, business partnerships and regulative authorities to implement LNG powered transport corridors in BSR.

The Integrated Value Chain (WP3):
The aim of the integrated LNG value chain is to provide the technological and regulative concept and value chain for integrated use of existing LNG infrastructure in BSR. An integrated value chain will increase the competitiveness of LNG fuel by improving economic and environmental performance/incentives thus increasing the fuel and infrastructure demand.

BSR LNG Competence Center (WP4):
The aim is to establish a BSR LNG Competence Center by gathering BSR based LNG competence, knowledge, training facilities and research infrastructure. The BSR LNG Competence Center would facilitate collaboration opportunities and a management model to enable joint service supply and project development. The Go LNG project has an ambition to develop a competitive LNG Competence Center knowledge, competent personnel, project management services technical solutions, business models and so forth on a global level.

BSR LNG Cluster (WP5):
In order to apply an Integrated LNG Value Chain and enable LNG powered transport corridors in BSR, the project aims to establish an BSR LNG Business cluster. The Cluster function will be to help gather and establish the critical mass of businesses to facilitate service, finance, technology and innovation for deploying LNG infrastructure, applying LNG as a fuel, thus utilizing the Regions environmental challenges as  business opportunities.

LBG (WP6):
To apply the LNG infrastructure as a growth and sustainability factor for Baltic Sea Region, a LBG (Liquefied biogas) production and distribution content will be provided during the project period. The Go LNG project will aim at establishing a value chain, technological concepts and business models for LBG. This will ensure sustainability of the LNG infrastructure and economic growth in the coastal communities.

TIME FRAME          01.05.2016 – 30.04.2019

PROJECT BUDGET              € 3 300 932,25

PROJECT PARTNERS

Lead Partner: Klaipeda Science and Technology Park LT 

17 Project partners amongst others:

• Clean Shipping Index (SE)
• NPPE Klaipeda Shipping Research Centre (LT)
• Hochschule Wismar/Wismar University of Applied Sciences: Technology, Business and Design (DE)
• inwl nonprofit Limited Institute for sustainable Economics and Logistics (DE)
• World Maritime University (SE)
• Blekinge Institute of Technology (SE)
• The Maritime Development Center of Europe (DK)
• Municipality of Samso (DK)
• OSK ShipTech A/S (DK)
• Shipping & Offshore (NO)
• Baltic Ports Organization (EE)
• Maritime University of Szczecin (PL)
• SC Klaipedos nafta (LT)
• ATI erc gGmbH education, research and furtherance of cooperations (DE)
• Logistics Initiative Hamburg e.V. (DE)
• RISE Research Institutes of Sweden (SE)
• Motus Foundation (PL)

 And 49 associated partners from 9 countries: Germany, Denmark, Estonia,Finland, Norway, Latvia,Lithuania, Poland  and Sweden.

The Maritime Cluster Northen Germany (GE)
The Ministry of Energy, Infrastructure and State Development Mecklenburg (GE)
Gazprom Germania GmbH (GE)
Fjord Line Denmark A/S (DK)
Zweckverband "Energieund Technologiestandort Freesendorf (GE)
Brunsbuttel Ports GmbH (GE)
Port of Helsingborg (SE)
Sundsvall Logistikpark (SE)
The German Maritime LNG Platform (DE)
Port of Esbjerg (DK)
Kosan Crisplant a/s (DK)
Marine Service GmbH (GE)
Nordic Yards Wismar GmbH (GE)
Q8 Danmark A/S (DK)
Konecranes Lift Trucks AB (SE)
Lithuanian Intermodal Transport Technology Platform (LT)
The Maritime Cluster Northen Germany Office Hamburg (DE)
The Port of Trelleborg (SE)
Port of HaminaKotka Ltd (FI)
Becker Marine Systems GmbH & Co (GE)
A/S Jorgen Petersen Rådgivende Skibsingeniorer (DK)
Port of Helsinki (FI)
The Ministry of Economic Affairs, Employment, Transport and Technology (DE)
East West Transport Corridor Association (LT)
Ocean Industry Forum Oslofjord (NO)
Oslo Shipowners Association (NO)
The SYMBIOS Funding & Consulting GmbH (DE)
Maritimt Center for Optimering og Drift MARCOD (DK)
Terntank Rederi A/S (DK)
Bornholms Regionskommune (DK)
Rønne Havn A/S (DK)
Sund Energy AS (DK)
Emerson Process Management UAB (LT)
Fairplay Towage Polska Sp.z o.o. (PL)
Unibaltic Sp.z o.o. (PL)
Maritime Inspection Maritime Office in Szczecin (PL)
LNG in Baltic Sea Ports Projects (SE)
Western Baltic Engineering UAB (LT)
Lithuanian Shipowners Association (LT)
Port of Risavika (NO)
The Danish Maritime Authority (DK)
The Ministry of Transport and Communications of Republic of Lithuania (LT)
VTG Aktiengesellschaft (GE)
Det Norske Veritas, Danmark A/S (DK)
Ventamonjaks serviss Ltd. (LV)
The Ministry of Energy of the Republic Of Lithuania (LT)
Lithuanian Inland Eaterways Authority (LT)
Fahrhafen Sassnitz GmbH (GE)
Bomin Linde LNG GmbH (GE)

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