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The Port Authority of Barcelona is planning to introduce environmental bonuses of up to 40 percent to environmentally friendly vessels.

Europe's leading cruise port is in the process of developing new infrastructure for the supply of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to vessels. The project forms part of the city's Air Quality Improvement Plan (Plan para la Mejora de la Calidad del Aire de Barcelona, or Pla per la Millora de la Qualitat de l'Aire de Barcelona (PMQAB)).

The plan also includes an ambitious bonus policy for cleaner vessels. Thus, the port has asked the Ministry of Public Works to modify the Ports Act to allow the introduction of environmental bonuses of up to 40 percent to attract green ships.

Europe's leading cruise port

Last week, MedCruise - The Association of Mediterranean Cruise Ports - presented its annual study confirming Barcelona as the leading Mediterranean and European cruise port with 2.68 million cruise passengers and 758 tourist vessel stopovers in 2016. It was followed by Civitavecchia (2.3 million passengers), the Balearic Islands (1.9 million), Venice (1.5 million) and Marseille (1.5 million).

Gas Natural Fenosa and Balearia

In January, Gas Natural Fenosa carried out the first delivery of LNG to a ferry in Barcelona - the Balearia-operated Abel Matutes.

The joint initiative between Gas Natural Fenosa, Balearia and the Port of Barcelona forms part of the European Union's (EU) Cleanport project and is co-financed by the EU through the CEF-Transport programme, which includes, together with Gas Natural Fenosa and Balearia, the ports of Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca and the General Directorate of The Merchant Navy.

For the Port of Barcelona, the project is designed to encourage the use of LNG for ships, trucks and terminal machinery.

Cepsa

In September, Bunker Index reported that Cepsa is to supply LNG to ships via a multi-product barge that will be able to deliver a wide range of marine fuels, from traditional fuels such a heating oils and diesels, through to alternative fuels such as LNG.

The first barge is due to start operations in 2018 from the port of Barcelona, with Cepsa set to become the first ship-to-ship supplier of LNG in Spain via a multi-product barge, and Barcelona becoming the first port in southern Europe to offer the service.

The project forms part of the 'Core LNGas Hive' initiative, selected by the European Commission, whose objective is to develop an LNG logistics network to promote the use of the gas as a fuel for transport, especially in the marine environment. The initiative is led by the country's ports and coordinated by Enagas, and has 42 partners in Spain and Portugal, including Cepsa.