Another energy infrastructure was launched by Greece’s natural gas transmission system operator DESFA: the new LNG Truck Loading Station in Revithoussa offers a flexible solution for the road transport of significant amounts of energy, simulating a virtual pipeline, to off-grid areas and users, through the loading of specially designed liquefied natural gas trucks.
In particular, through this specific application, it becomes possible to supply industrial consumers, vehicle filling stations that use natural gas, as well as residential and commercial consumers in areas not connected to DESFA’s transmission network, with significant benefits.
“Today is a big day for strengthening the energy sufficiency and independence of our country,” said the Minister of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy, Ioannis Plakiotakis. “An initiative taken by DESFA with the full support of the Greek government, an initiative that brings our country to a much better place compared to many other countries in terms of energy autonomy, at a time when, in addition to the initiatives taken by the current government, the Greek shipping, more than ever, mainly thanks to the foresight of Greek shipping, currently controls 25 per cent of LNG carriers worldwide.”
“The LNG Truck Loading Station is a small but very critical LNG supply chain project in our country,” added the Deputy Minister of Development and Investments, Ioannis Tsakiris. “The Ministry of Development and Investments is financing this project with approximately 3 million euros from NSRF 2014-20 resources. As it also finances other LNG infrastructure projects and energy infrastructure in general in order for Greece to obtain the maximum possible energy security and sufficiency with the lowest possible energy costs for the economy and society”.
The LNG Truck Loading Station in Revithoussa is the first similar facility in South-Eastern Europe, making Greece a refuelling and distribution hub for the wider region, while at the same time contributing to the strengthening of security of supply, providing the possibility of refuelling also in neighbouring Balkan countries, which do not have large-scale LNG infrastructure.
Earlier in April, also the operator of Croatia’s LNG Terminal introduced the possibility for its users to arrange LNG reloading from the Floating Storage Regasification Unit (FSRU) vessel to LNG transport trucks.
The new facility in Greece is the first step towards the creation of an integrated Small-Scale LNG supply chain in Greece, as DESFA is also going to build a Small-Scale LNG jetty that will also allow the refuelling of ships using LNG as fuel, as well as the supply of LNG satellite stations.
“Today we are inaugurating the LNG Truck Loading Station at the Revithoussa Terminal, the first such infrastructure in Southeastern EU, launching an integrated Small Scale LNG logistic chain in Greece that can bring the energy in every corner of the country and in the neighbouring countries,” commented the CEO of DESFA, Maria Rita Galli. “DESFA continues to invest in the Revithoussa LNG Terminal, the most important national LNG import and storage infrastructure and the main entry gate for natural gas in Greece – with 43 per cent of the total amount of natural gas imports of the country – contributing to the security of supply and the diversification of sources for Greece and the wider region.”
