Maritime experts meeting in Limassol discussed how two major co-financed projects – Poseidon Med II and CYnergy – could be the stepping stones for turning Cyprus into an energy hub and Eastern Mediterranean marine transportation with a sustainable, eco-friendly profile through the use of LNG. The conference entitled “LNG: the meeting point for Marine, Transport & Energy sector in Cyprus”, attracted more than 180 delegates from the marine and energy sectors, public bodies, port authorities and international organisations.
The conference was inaugurated by Transport Minister Marios Dimitriades and European Commission DG Move representative Wojtek Sopinski, who endorsed the efforts of the Poseidon Med II initiative, underlying LNG’s great potential for greener and sustainable future of shipping industry. The Poseidon Med II case was also featured at the keynote session, where project representatives George Polychroniou, Executive Director Strategy, Development, Administration & IT at Public Gas Corporation (DEPA) and Dr Joseph Florentin, Corporate Development Department Manager at Hellenic Gas Transmission System Operator (DESFA), showcased project work and plans as well as the LNG choice, leading next generation of marine fueling.
Turning LNG from prospect into reality in shipping was the focus of the first session, where panelists highlighted global experience and strategies promoting LNG as marine fuel, plans for LNG bunkering in Cyprus as well as funding opportunities for investments, setting the scene for LNG uptake in the region.
Innovative LNG fuelled vessels and storage technologies, quantity and quality verification processes, terminals’ experience and the shipyards approach towards the LNG as fuel era were presented at the second Conference session, underlying how pioneers accelerate technology uptake and create a fertile ground for the adoption of LNG in ships and ports.
Dr. Panayotis Zacharioudakis, Managing Director of OceanFinance and Project Manager of CYnergy, welcomed the audience to the final session inviting them to take the discussion regarding the Cypriot gas exploration and commercial exploitation one step further to the benefits for Cyprus by the everyday life use of natural gas. This first public presentation of the CYnergyAction, inaugurated by Antonis Ioannou, Acting Director of the Energy Service of the Ministry of Energy, Commerce, Industry and Tourism, was also saluted by W. Sopinski, who took the podium for the second time to deliver a short message on behalf of DG Energy, expressing full support to the project and congratulating CYnergy stakeholders for achieving significantly high co-funding rate in the context of the CEF Synergy Call.
Dr. Symeon Kassianides, President of CyGas (DEFA), presented a clear roadmap for the implementation of Cyprus plans regarding storage and distribution of natural gas in Cyprus, while representatives of the CYnergy Consortium discussed further the steps towards the transition of the internal market to the use of natural gas that will turn Cyprus into an energy hub of the South-East Med Sea. The session’s concluding panel discussion addressed the needs of the Cypriot industry conveying a strong message: In this new effort to bring NG to Cyprus, all related stakeholders are cooperating closely and by taking into consideration the Cypriot community’s needs coordinate their actions to establish a sustainable NG market.
The Conference was organised by Bunkernet, one of the main partners of Poseidon Med II and CYnergy project.
On the occasion of the Conference, Poseidon Med II & CYnergy project representatives, participated in “Agonas Eleftherias” sailing race on 1st October 2017, highlighting their devotion to low-emission marine transportation, setting sails to LNG era.
