ORLEN and the Port of Gdynia Authority have signed an agreement to explore the development of LNG and bioLNG bunkering services at the Polish port, including ship-to-ship fuel transfers.
The partnership will assess market demand for LNG and bioLNG bunkering, as well as the infrastructure, operational conditions and regulatory requirements needed to expand alternative marine fuel availability along the Polish coast.
A key part of the cooperation will be examining waterside bunkering, including ship-to-ship operations where fuel is transferred directly from a bunker vessel to a ship in port.
The partners will assess whether this model could serve larger vessels and whether bunkering could take place while ships are alongside, potentially at the same time as cargo-handling operations.
The study will consider safety requirements, vessel traffic, berth availability and the need to maintain uninterrupted terminal operations.
ORLEN and the Port of Gdynia will also review bunkering solutions already deployed at other European ports.
The cooperation will include an assessment of fuel requirements among shipowners and port users, particularly operators of scheduled ferry, container and RoRo services.
The partners will exchange technical knowledge and evaluate different bunkering models before determining how LNG and bioLNG infrastructure could be developed at Gdynia.
“Our expanded cooperation with the Port of Gdynia marks an important step in developing the LNG and bioLNG market in the Tricity area and forms part of a wider transformation of ORLEN’s fuel portfolio through 2035,” said Robert Soszyński, Vice President of the ORLEN Management Board, Operations.
ORLEN considers gas, including LNG, a transitional fuel within its wider strategy and is developing capabilities across supply, logistics, infrastructure and end use.
The Port of Gdynia said the initiative is intended to prepare its infrastructure for changing vessel requirements as shipping moves towards a broader range of marine fuels.
“Energy transition in the shipping industry is already under way. Shipowners are looking for solutions that could reduce emissions, while ports need to be ready to accommodate vessels using a range of fuels and technologies,” said Piotr Gorzeński, CEO of the Port of Gdynia Authority.
The initiative comes as European shipping faces progressively tighter greenhouse gas intensity requirements under FuelEU Maritime.
The cooperation is a long-term initiative, and no timetable has been announced for the construction or deployment of LNG or bioLNG bunkering infrastructure at Gdynia
