The EU's TEN-T Programme will co-finance with over €1 million a pilot construction of the first liquefied natural gas (LNG) tank and bunker at the Port of Hirtshals in Denmark. If the pilot is successful, a larger LNG bunker will be developed to supply both marine and road transport with cleaner and cheaper fuel.

European Regulations require the shipping sector to reduce marine sulphur emissions in the North Sea to 0.1% as of January 2015. One of the ways for the sector to reach this goal is to use cleaner fuels, such as LNG. The TEN-T programme puts forward the obligation to provide publicly accessible LNG refuelling facilities in all core European ports by 2030.

As the first such initiative in Denmark and one of the first in Europe, this project will develop a 200 tonne/500 m3 pilot LNG storage tank and bunkering facility, with the perspective to develop it into a larger one of 3000-5000 m3. The new facilities will provide LNG for ships both within and outside the EU, as well as regional consumers including road transport.

The project's outcomes are expected to serve as best practice to other ports in northern Europe and encourage consumers switch to alternative fuel with reduced environmental impact. It will also be the first step towards creating a robust LNG supply infrastructure in the region.

The project was selected for EU funding with the assistance of external experts under the TEN-T Annual Call 2013, priority 'Decarbonisation / Oil substitution or environmental cost reduction'. Its implementation will be monitored by INEA, the European Commission's Innovation and Networks Executive Agency.

The project is to be completed by 30 June 2015.