European Projects

Port Authority of Gijón is a partner since 2015 in the CORE LNGas Hive project. Led by ENAGÁS and with the participation of more than 30 members, the project aims the development of an integrated, safe and efficient logistic chin for the supply of liquefied natural gas (LNG) (small scale and bunkering) as fuel in transport sector especially in maritime transport in the Iberian Peninsula. With an investment of over 30 million euros, the European program Connecting Europe Facility co-finances studies and pilot projects with the aim of developing the LNG supply infrastructure as fuel for ships.

More information: Access the website of Core LNGas hive.

Port Authority of Gijón is a partner in the European project SamueLNG. The project is dedicated to a series of technical studies, training and pilots in order to establish the use of LNG as a transition fuel in the Atlantic arc. To carry out all these activities is estimated a total budget of over 19 million euros, co-financed by the European infrastructure program Connecting Europe Facility.

The project is coordinated by the French company GIE Dragages Ports, and features the participation of the Port of Nantes Saint Nazaire, the Port of Le Havre, the Port of Vigo, EDP and Naturgy among others.

Within this framework is intended to carry out a pilot project in the Port of Gijon. This test intends to implement a flexible solution through the design of a mobile bunkering device capable of adapting to port with low demand for LNG.

More information: Access the Samuel LNG Website.

Port Authority of Gijón is a partner in the “ECO-GATE: European COrridors for natural GAs Transport Efficiency”.

The overall objective of the project is to study market efficiency of conventional and renewable CNG throughout the Atlantic Corridor (Portugal, Spain and France) and its interconnection with the Rhine-Danube Corridor to Heddesheim (Germany), the Mediterranean corridor through new technologies and innovative solutions for the provision of logistics services, cleaner fuels, refuelling, manufacturers infrastructure, vehicles and components and operational processes.

The project takes the form of pilot tests, and its ultimate goal is to allow rapid deployment of LNG / CNG as an alternative clean fuel, reducing unit costs and improving understanding of customer needs.

More information: Access the ECOGATE website.

Port Authority of Gijón is a partner in the European project Blue Atlantic Port Services, dedicated to a series of pilot tests, dissemination actions and technical studies in order to

promote the preparation of reception and treatment of ballast water and other waste in the Atlantic arc ports within the framework of the adoption of the IMO international convention for the control and management of ballast water and sediments from ships. To carry out the measures envisaged in the project, it has estimated a budget of 3 million euros, co-financed by the European FEDER program: INTERREG ATLANTIC ARC.

The project started in September 2017 and is scheduled to end its activities in April 2020. The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Brest is coordinating this initiative with the participation of other 14 partners, among which are the Port Authority Sevilla, the Port Authority of Las Palmas and the Port of Cork and Madeira.

Under the project, it is included a pilot test in the port of Gijon, in order to validate the latest technologies to treat ballast water. PARUVI services operator and the University of Oviedo collaborate with the Port Authority of Gijón in the development of these full-scale tests.

More information: Access the Blue Ports website.

The project LNGHIVE2 VESSELS DEMAND: GREEN AND SMART LINKS – LNG solutions for smart maritime links in Spanish Core ports include the adaptation of five vessels to be fed by LNG (Abel Matutes, Naples, Sicily, Bahama Mama and Martin i Soler), adapting current main ship engines without replacing them with new ones.

These five vessels will be the first LNG fueled fleet that will operate in the Mediterranean and the Atlantic; making Balearia a pioneer in this market and the first to generate demand for LNG as fuel in the main Spanish ferries ports. Modernization projects of these five ferries will have the participation of several engine manufacturers and European teams, shipyards, engineering companies and certification societies; creating skilled jobs in Europe and providing opportunities to further develop European technological knowledge in a sector with great potential.

In addition, the project will contribute to infrastructure development in Spanish ports to ensure LNG supply to ships. Specifically, in the Port of Gijon they will be carried out two infrastructures that will ensure the supply to the LNG vessels adapted by Baleària to operate in dual mode: a station of gas supply for vehicles and a Multi Truck to Ship bunkering system (MTTS for its acronym in English).

I RAIL facilitate the implementation of European legislation on standards harmonized data information in the TEN-T network, in particular, the standards TAF TSI (Technical Specification for Interoperability relating to Telematics Applications for Freight/Passenger Services), in compliance with the Interoperability Directive 797 / EC / 2016.

The project will create added value by eliminating barriers between rail connections and other modes of transport,  in order to achieve an electronic paperless and interoperable scenario for railway cargo operations.

I RAIL allow scanning procedures related to the activities of companies and their staff to ensure their performance safely, according to the Safety Directive 798 / EC / 2016.

I RAIL will gradually contribute to achieve interoperability requirements for telematic applications according to the above directives and to increase the efficiency, safety and interoperability of rail freight services.

The Port Authority of Gijon participates as a stakeholder in the LOOP PORTS project. The main objective of LOOP-Ports project is to facilitate the transition to a more circular economy in the port sector, where the value of products, materials and resources is maintained in the economy as long as possible and the waste generation is minimized. The project, through the creation of a network of ports for Circular Economy provides an innovation ecosystem that aims to stimulate the implementation of circular economy initiatives in European ports. The network will focus mainly on the following materials: metals, plastics, cement and biomaterials.

This port’s network will provide knowledge, exchange of experiences and best practices, policy recommendations, training and new business opportunities both for ports clusters and other related industries.

More information: LOOP Ports Website