The Port of Tarragona joins a project to develop LNG as a fuel

The TPA hosted a conference on the use of liquefied natural gas and presented its project to convert a diesel switching engine to run on LNG

This morning, the conference room in the Tarragona Port Authority (TPA) building was the venue for an informative meeting on the use of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in a port environment, a conference that sparked the interest of the entrepreneurs of the Tarragona port community. The different sessions were used to present the European Core LNGas Hive project and its applications in the port sector, as well as the Port of Tarragona’s project to adapt a diesel switching engine to run on LNG. The latter included an explanation of the technical, legal and economic viability study undertaken by the Institut Cerdà and the process engineering transformation study carried out by the GPO Enginyeria consultancy.

The director of Corporate Development and Sustainability, Joan Basora, opened the meeting by emphasising that “the Port of Tarragona is a port committed to and involved in the application of LNG, as demonstrated by the project we are presenting today. There are many ways of using LNG in the port sector. The adaptation of a diesel switching engine to run on LNG is a good example of this and represents a commitment to efficiency and efficacy in rail transport”.

Next, the director general of Enagás Emprèn and the project coordinator, Fernando Imposat, presented the Core LNGas Hive project. Among its advantages he emphasised “the key role of the Iberian Peninsula and its infrastructure, as well as the developments in LNG aimed at improving air quality in the maritime sector and the port environment”.

Another speaker was Jèssica Civil, a consultant from the Institut Cerdà, who explained the technical, legal and economic viability study in the presentation of the Port of Tarragona project to convert a diesel switching engine to run on LNG. Enric Boné, a consultant from GPO Enginyeria, explained the project’s process engineering transformation study.

The aim of the European Core LNGas Hive project, which is headed by the State Ports Authority, coordinated by Enagás and co-financed by the European Union, is to develop an integrated, safe and efficient logistics chain on the Iberian Peninsula to supply liquefied natural gas for use as a fuel in the transport sector, especially shipping.

Powering a locomotive with LNG

As a partner in the CORE LNGas Hive project, the Port of Tarragona has developed a project to convert a port switching engine to run on LNG. It is aimed at preparing the way for introducing LNG as a more sustainable alternative to the diesel technology currently used.

The first phase −the feasibility study− was undertaken by the Institut Cerdà. This study identified technical and legal barriers and analysed the economic feasibility and environmental impact of the introduction of LNG in the Port of Tarragona’s rail shunting operations.

The second phase was carried out by GPO Enginyeria, whose study details all the steps needed to be taken into account in the conversion of the Adif 310 model locomotive, which will be used to undertake a pilot study in the port area. The categories considered in the study include the engineering and technical features of the engine and fuel tanks and their impact on, for example, the maintenance plans and the weight distribution and centre of gravity of the vehicle.

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