The EU’s TEN-T Programme will co-finance with over €1.5 million the construction of the first in Europe hopper barge powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG).
The LNG fuel could help reduce air pollution caused by barge transport services.
Hopper barges carrying sand dredged from ports are most often using conventional, more polluting fuel than accepted by the European regulation for future shipping services (2050 onwards).
This project is addressing the European requirements to reduce maritime transport emissions by constructing an LNG-powered hopper barge in the ports of Bremerhaven and Bremen in Germany, the EU Commission said in a release.
The pilot project features the technical design of the new barge, granting permissions to operate in