‘LNGHIVE2: Infrastructure and Logistics Solutions’ project, coordinated by Enagás, has been selected by the European Commission ‘Connecting Europe Facility’ (CEF) for funding. The initiative aims to boost the use of liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a fuel for maritime and rail transport. The total investment in the project will be around 14 million euros, of which close to three million euros will be financed by European funds.

The initiative, coordinated by Enagás and promoted by the Spanish Ports Authority, features the participation of six other partners: the Port Authority of Huelva, RENFE Mercancías, ADIF, Saggas, Marflet Marine, and the Valenciaport Foundation.

The project is scheduled to run until 2022 and includes adapting the regasification terminals in Huelva and Sagunto (Valencia) to offer LNG as a fuel. It also foresees to introduce LNG in a “maritime-rail green corridor” between the Port of Huelva and the ADIF rail terminal in Majarabique, the dry port of Seville. The project includes building an LNG station in this rail terminal and retrofitting a diesel-hauled locomotive to LNG.

The European Commission has positively rated the quality as well as the technical and financial maturity of this project. Furthermore, it has highlighted the project’s importance with regards to the Mediterranean Corridor, economic growth, and the Trans-European Transport Network’s (TEN-T) priorities for the use of LNG for multimodal transport and decarbonisation.

The use of LNG in transport contributes to improving air quality. It reduces NOx emissions by 85-90%, CO2 emissions by 25% and SOx and particles by almost 100% compared to traditional fuels.

Enagás is also currently coordinating CORE LNGas hive, led by the Spanish Ports Authority. With over 50 years experience in developing, maintaining and operating gas infrastructures and eight regasification plants, Enagás is one of the companies with the most LNG terminals worldwide.

The ‘LNGHIVE2: Infrastructure and Logistics Solutions’ initiative is in line with the institutional strategy to deploy LNG supply points in ports, and develop the associated market promoted by the Ministry of Public Works and Transport through the Spanish Ports Authority. Under this strategy, an initiative from Balearia has also been selected. This initiative involves retrofitting five vessels to use LNG as a fuel.

LNGHIVE2 is one of the ‘National Action Framework for Alternative Energies in Transport’ measures approved by the Council of Ministers in December 2016. It aims to comply with Directive 2014/94 of the European Commission, which represents a clear commitment to the use of alternative fuels in the transport sector.

About Enagás

Enagás is the leading company with the largest number of LNG terminals and regasification capacity in Europe. With almost 50 years’ experience and presence in Spain, Mexico, Chile, Peru and Sweden, Enagás is also one of the shareholders of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) project. The company is certified as a Transmission System Operator (TSO) by the European Union and is an international benchmark in the development and operation of gas networks. It owns more than 12,000 km of gas pipelines, four strategic storages and eight regasification plants. In Spain, Enagás is the Technical Manager of the Gas System and has developed the country's key gas infrastructures, making it a model within Europe.
Listed on the IBEX 35 Spanish stock market, Enagás is present in the main sustainability indexes such as the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI), for ten years in a row. The company is the world leader of its sector, according to the latest DJSI revision.
Enagás is also committed to the fight against climate change and the decabornisation process, as its infrastructure is ready to transport non-electric renewable energy, such as biomethane and hydrogen. The company also supports energy efficiency and sustainable mobility initiatives.