Belgian terminal ships first LNG by rail

Fluxys Belgium said that an LNG container at the Zeebrugge LNG terminal has been loaded for rail transport from the Port of Zeebrugge for the first time. This will widen the terminal’s destination flexibility and reduce emissions, it added.

The Zeebrugge LNG terminal joined forces with several partners to combine services available in the Port of Zeebrugge into an intermodal logistics chain.

Prima LNG loaded the LNG container at the Zeebrugge LNG terminal. Shunter Macotruck transferred the LNG container to rail at the CSP Zeebrugge terminal. Train operator Lineas then transported the LNG container to its destination in Italy.

Intermodal LNG transport is an attractive proposition as it has several advantages. It reduces emissions of greenhouse gases and air pollutants while being more cost efficient and reaching new destinations across Europe.

The port of Zeebrugge offers good connections with the four major rail hubs in Europe: Antwerp, Cologne, Rotterdam and Dourges. From there, LNG containers can be further dispatched across Europe.

LNG bunkering begun at the Port of Zeebrugge in June 2017, with the bunkering vessel ‘ENGIE Zeebrugge’ making its first deliveries of LNG.