Elefsina Port Authority (OLE SA) and the National Gas Transmission System Operator (DESFA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the development, expansion and promotion of the availability of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), as an environmentally friendly fuel, to the benefit of Greek citizens, but also to the wider geographical area.
Initially, the MoU, before being signed, was brought to the attention of the Secretary General of Ports, Port Policy and Maritime Investments of the Ministry of Shipping and Island Policy, Mr. Evangelos Kyriazopoulos, and was accepted given to its developmental nature and the fact that there will be benefits to the local community. Following, the Board of Directors of O.L.E. SA unanimously approved the MoU.
The cooperation of the two parties upgrades the Port of Elefsina, which now becomes an important energy hub for the development of the supply chain with LNG Truck Loading – as LNG can be transported by trucks to non-interconnected facilities throughout the territory – with Elefsina’s port facilities being foreseen to serve the transport of LNG to and from the island of Revithoussa, where the Terminal LNG Station of DESFA is located.
The MoU includes:
- The sites of use of three port facilities (Kronos Elefsina, Perama Megaridos and Almyra Megaron) for the maritime transport of LNG tanker trucks by ferries to and from the nearby island of Revithoussa after the completion of all necessary traffic and environmental studies, as well as safety studies, that will be completed with the care and funding of DESFA.
- The loading station will enable the use of natural gas for consumers in areas where the NNGTS has not been developed and will facilitate its use as a marine fuel (LNG – fueled ships).
- Finally, DESFA undertakes, with its own resources, the expansion of the building of O.L.E. at the entrance of the central Port of Elefsina, in order to cover the increased needs of the Organization for the housing of all its services, while it will immediately organize a series of events to inform the residents of the area about the circulation and benefits of natural gas, the use of which aims to gradually reduce air pollutants.
The LNG truck loading station ensures security of supply and offers an economical and flexible solution for larger and smaller industries, agricultural facilities and household consumers in areas far from the natural gas network, enhancing the competitiveness of businesses and allowing the use of natural gas as a marine fuel.
The signing of the MoU reflects the ambition of O.L.E. SA to transform the Port of Elefsina into a “green” port with utmost respect for the development and protection of the environment and to contribute to the promotion and utilization of energy and environmental policy actions aimed at eliminating air pollutants and reducing carbon dioxide through the use of LNG, in accordance with the requirements of the relevant national and European regulations.