Co-financed by the European Union Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T), the aim of the SAFE SECA project was to introduce the conditions for a wider use of ‘greener’ fuels such as LNG (liquefied natural gas) in the French Channel area, especially at the regional level. It aimed to help develop and adapt the existing infrastructure and facilities to meet the new EU requirements for reducing maritime fuel emissions.
The project focused on the regulation, safety and installation aspects of LNG bunkering infrastructure and included transfer of knowledge to about 75 stakeholders from eight different ports through a specific training programme on dealing with low emission fuels.
The AIDA prima cruise vessel called at Le Havre on May 2016. She’s a 300m long vessel and 36m wide (crew of 900 people over 3450 passengers ) and sails on a weekly basis between the ports of Le Havre, Southampton, Zeebrugge, Rotterdam and Hamburg. The vessel is equipped with a dual engine that can be directly switched to LNG fuel consumption. It was the first ship to bunker LNG in real conditions in France. The succesful LNG bunkering operation was a concrete illustration of the work and the outcome of the SAFE SECA project. Since may 2016, AIDA prima calls on a weekly basis at the port of Le Havre using LNG as fuel.