Yachting Art Magazine

The Port of Gothenburg is continuing to develop its alternative fuel infrastructure with the start of construction on a new liquefied biogas facility. Led by Nordion Energi, this project aims to improve access to renewable biogas for a number of industrial and transport sectors, particularly the maritime sector. The future facility is due to come into service before the end of 2027 and will help expand the use of biogas beyond the areas currently covered by the gas network.

As Scandinavia’s leading port in terms of freight traffic, the Port of Gothenburg occupies a strategic position in Northern Europe’s maritime trade. For several years now, the Swedish port infrastructure has been pursuing an active policy on alternative fuels and the decarbonisation of maritime transport. The port already hosts various solutions involving liquefied natural gas (LNG), biofuels and electrification, with the aim of gradually reducing emissions from port operations and maritime transport.

The new biogas liquefaction facility is part of this strategy. Its main role will be to enable biogas producers connected to the gas network to access new markets by converting renewable gas into liquid form. This liquefaction stage then facilitates the storage, transport and use of the fuel in sectors requiring large amounts of energy, such as maritime transport, heavy road transport or certain industrial activities.

According to Carolina Wistén, Head of the Customer and Market Gas Network at Nordion Energi, the project plays a direct role in the energy transition of the Swedish gas system: “The aim is to contribute to the network’s evolution towards 100% renewable gas, whilst supporting the transition of maritime transport, heavy transport and industries located far from the gas network. ”

Biogas is considered a renewable fuel with a low climate impact, produced from organic waste or agricultural and industrial residues. In its liquefied form, it is particularly well-suited to maritime applications thanks to its higher energy density and its compatibility with certain engine types already in use in the LNG sector.

Interest in liquefied biogas within the maritime sector has grown significantly in recent years, driven in particular by international environmental regulations and targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Several shipping companies with a regular presence in Gothenburg already use biogas in their operations and will be able to increase their consumption once the new facility is operational.

For Therese Jällbrink, Head of Renewable Energy at the Port of Gothenburg, the project illustrates the importance of a comprehensive supply chain to support the maritime sector’s energy transition: “For the maritime transport transition to truly accelerate, the entire value chain must be in place and operate in a coordinated manner.”

This integrated value chain approach is one of the project’s key focuses. Biogas producers, logistics operators and end-users are already present at the port site or connected to its infrastructure. Among them is St1 Biokraft, which has signed an agreement to reserve a portion of the future liquefaction capacity.

According to Ted Gustavsson, Head of Value Chain at St1 Biokraft, this future facility represents a significant step in the development of maritime biogas: “This is a strategic step towards increasing our production and offering competitive liquefied biogas to the maritime sector.”

Once fully operational, the facility is expected to have a capacity of around 50 tonnes of liquefied biogas per day. This ramp-up could enable the Port of Gothenburg to further strengthen its position as a maritime energy hub in Northern Europe.

More broadly, the project reflects current trends in the port and maritime sector, where energy infrastructure is becoming a central element of the environmental transition. Faced with international emission reduction targets, ports now play a key role in the development and distribution of alternative fuels for the maritime transport of the future.