Fjord Line puts Denmark's first LNG terminal into operation at the Port of Hirtshals

A significant step for the modern shipping industry and climate efforts has been taken at the Port of Hirtshals in the form of Fjord Line's new LNG terminal - the first of its kind in Denmark. The shipping company Fjord Line has invested in a 500 cubic meters big tank and terminal facilities that can facilitate ships bunkering LNG in Hirtshals.

With the new LNG terminal, Fjord Line has the possibility of optimizing operation of its two cruise ferries, M/S Bergensfjord and M/S Stavangerfjord that sail the routes between Bergen, Stavanger and Hirtshals as well as between Langesund and Hirtshals. Now Fjord Line can bunker LNG in Hirtshals and that optimizes bunkering, as the ferries do not carry more fuel than what is needed. This goes hand in hand with the shipping company's focus on climate.

In connection with the first LNG terminal being put into operation, CEO at Fjord Line, Morten Larsen, has the following comments:
- According to the plans, this LNG terminal is the first step in the future development. We wish to expand the terminal so that, in addition to bunkering our own two cruise ferries, M/S Bergensfjord and M/S Stavangerfjord, we can also offer bunkering to other ships running on LNG. With this, we are expanding the commercial foundation for the development of LNG supply for ships on one of the world's most trafficked sailing routes.

The Port of Hirtshals has a unique geographical location on one of the most trafficked sailing routes in the world. This means that ships running on LNG can bunker LNG at the Port of Hirtshals without having to spend time and fuel going off scheduled routes.

In addition to looking at Fjord Line's investment in a societal perspective, Chairman of the Board at the Port of Hirtshals, Anker Laden-Andersen, considers Fjord Line's investment a plus for the port as a whole:
- With the strict international demands on the limitation of emission of environmentally harmful material, the development of the marked for LNG for ships is just opening up in Europe. This makes it highly important and extremely positive for the port that we continuously work with companies such as Fjord Line that focus on developing the marked for one of the fuels of the future. Over the next years, the net of LNG terminals in northern Europe will be developed and with Fjord Line's investment in Denmark's first LNG terminal, they have opened up for Hirtshals' position in the European LNG market.

LNG is a natural gas that is cooled down to -160 Celcius to liquefy it. In a ship combustion, LNG emits little or no sulfur or particles as well as less than 10 % NOx (nitrogen oxid) into the atmosphere compared to the emission of traditional bunker oil.