THE BLUE BALTICS PROJECT EVALUATED IN EUROPE

The Blue Baltics project coordinated by KN (Klaipėdos Nafta, AB), an operator of oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals, has won an award in the Infrastructure category at the Baltic Sea Forum (BSF) Awards in Berlin. The project that forms a basis for the LNG value chain in the Baltic Sea and for the promotion of use of clean fuel has received recognition due to its positive impact on the environment.

Project Blue Baltics – LNG infrastructure facility deployment in the Baltic Sea Region, coordinated by KN and implemented by five partners from four states, has won the first place in the Baltic Sea Clean Maritime (BSCM) Award, Infrastructure category. This category included projects promoting green shipping in both maritime transport and port infrastructure areas.

The BSF considers the Baltic Sea to be a major artery of both passenger and goods carriage, and maritime transport dominates the Baltic Sea Region. In addition, the Baltic Sea is one of Europe‘s most dynamic shipping channels, therefore, it is important to develop those types of infrastructure and transport that ensure clean shipping and not just competitiveness of maritime economics.

‘Within the framework of the Blue Baltics project, KN and its four partners are creating a unique value chain that includes the development of infrastructure of LNG as an environmentally friendly fuel and the distribution of this fuel by means of a special-purpose vessel and a network of small-scale LNG stations. The project involves a number of modes of transport. Also, solutions implemented in this project will enable the use of LNG in regions that are far away from the gas grid. This award is a very important evaluation of our joint work with partners, aimed at reducing pollution’, says Mindaugas Jusius, KN’s CEO.

According to Mindaugas Jusius, maritime industry faces a challenge of finding sustainable solutions for the reduction of pollutant emissions in a highly competitive market, and the Blue Baltics project includes a range of effective measures in the areas of transport services and environmental protection.
 
Four states of the Baltic Sea Region (Lithuania, Sweden, Estonia and Germany) take part in the Blue Baltics project. KN‘s LNG reloading station is becoming an axis of the LNG value chain; it is expected that Klaipėda as the LNG hub will join the four states together into this chain. The Blue Baltics project pools investments in the installation of LNG infrastructure thus promoting a sustainable system of maritime and land transport and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Approx. EUR 15 million have been earmarked for Blue Baltics from the Motorways of the Sea Programme of the Connecting Europe Facility.