HAM present in the Core LNGas Hive innovation project in the Port of Barcelona

HAM launches a mobile unit to supply gas to an electric generator

HAM Group has launched a mobile unit for the supply of gas in the Port of Barcelona, with the aim of powering an electric generator that in turn will power the ships that are moored.

The supply team belongs to the Core LNGas Hive project, a project financed by the European Union through CEF (Connecting Europe Facility) funds, led by Puertos del Estado and coordinated by ENAGAS and Jordi Vila, head of environment at the Port of Barcelona.

This ship electricity supply project is one of the four projects of the Port of Barcelona, included within a larger project, with the participation of most of the ports in Spain. All of these innovation projects have the purpose of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The purpose of the Core LNGas Hive Project, in the Port of Barcelona, includes the design, construction and commissioning of a mobile unit that supplies gas to an electrical generator, which will provide energy to the ships that are moored in the area. port. In this way, the emissions generated by this system will largely reduce the emissions generated by ships when they self-generate their own electricity. The study will determine the level of emissions generated and the impact it will have on the area, since the Port is one of the main sources of pollution due to the large volume of merchandise that it moves daily.

The HAM liquefied natural gas plant contains two LNG tanks, which are responsible for its storage and gasification, installed inside a 40-foot container that will travel on board between ports and will be loaded and unloaded in a very simple way. Mobility is a determining factor, as the project is divided into three different geographical areas such as Barcelona, Tenerife and Vigo. The equipment must be easily dismantled and transportable for use at the next destination. The plant has a gas generator engine, built by Siemens and certified by Bureau Veritas for marine use.

The pilot test of the operation of the LNG plant has been carried out with the ship “L’Audace” that belongs to the shipping company Flota Líneas Suardíaz, which makes the route from Barcelona to the Canary Islands (Las Palmas and Santa Cruz de Tenerife ). It is estimated that, during the ship’s stopover in the port of Barcelona, which lasts approximately half an hour, the LNG electrical load would prevent the emission of 27 kilograms of NOx (nitrogen oxides) into the atmosphere.

At the presentation of the mobile unit, designed, built and commissioned by Grupo HAM, Antonio Murugó, general director of the company, was present, accompanied by Albert Casasin, project director; Judith Gómez, naval technician and Eduard Vidal, engineer and project manager of another of the CORE LNGas Hive projects.

Also present were the general director of the Port of Barcelona, José Antonio Carbonell; the Director of Logistics and Commercial of Enagás, Fernando Tax; the president of Suardíaz, Juan Riva; the executive advisor to the general director of Engine Bussines Siemens, José M. Bilbao; the technical director of State Ports, Álvaro Rodríguez and the head of the Environment of the Port of Barcelona, Jordi Vila.

During the following months, the project will continue in the ports of Tenerife and Vigo.