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The Port Authority of Ferrol-San Cibrao in north-west Spain says it is collaborating with local liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal operator Reganosa and other partners to develop an LNG bunkering infrastructure at the Galician port.

On November 9, the AIDAprima - the world's first cruise ship to operate on LNG whilst in port - is due to call at Ferrol. Since entering into service in 2016, the vessel has made regular visits to Hamburg, Southampton, Le Havre and Zeebrugge, and has been able to refuel with LNG at all these locations.

Commenting on the challenge of supplying LNG to the AIDA Cruises vessel, Jose Manuel Vilarino, president of the port authority, said the task was in line with the LNG strategy that Ferrol has been developing in recent years and noted that the port authority; the local government, Xunta de Galicia; shipbuilder Navantia; Reganosa; and the University of Santiago de Compostela have all been "pioneers" in looking at ways to develop the supply of LNG as a marine fuel.

"Now we expect companies in the port community to get involved with their investments and make the most of the advantage we already have in this port with a liquefied natural gas terminal," the port's president remarked.

Although Ferrol's port authority is targeting the supply of LNG to cruise vessels (there are 26 planned stopovers in 2017), it is also aiming to meet the refuelling needs of LNG-powered container vessels.

Last year, Bunker Index reported that Reganosa, operator of the Mugardos LNG import terminal, was eyeing the supply of LNG as a marine fuel to the region's fishing fleet.

"We are working hard to develop bunkering operations. One possible market is Galicia's fishing fleet with over 4,000 boats, some small, but all kinds of sizes," Carlos Vales, Reganosa's Production Manager, was quoted as saying.

Reganosa was also looking at the feasibility of operating a 10,000-cubic-metre-capacity LNG bunkering vessel capable of performing ship-to-ship refuelling as Mugardos is strategically situated on the Finisterre shipping corridor, which is used annually by more than 40,000 ships.

Image: Reganosa's LNG import terminal at Mugardos, Ferrol, Spain.