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Cepsa is to supply liquefied natural gas (LNG) to ships via the first multi-product barge in Europe, the company has confirmed.

The supply ship will be able to deliver a wide range of marine fuels, from traditional fuels such a heating oils and diesels, through to alternative fuels such as LNG. Cepsa says it will participate in the design and construction of the ship alongside its strategic business partner, Flota Suardiaz.

The project forms part of the 'Core LNGas Hive' initiative, selected by the European Commission, whose objective is to develop an LNG logistics network to promote the use of the gas as a fuel for transport, especially in the marine environment. The project is led by the country's ports and coordinated by Enagas, and has 42 partners in Spain and Portugal, including Cepsa. 'Core LNGas Hive' aims to lower carbon emissions in the Mediterranean and Atlantic and to promote clean energies for transport and care for the environment through the European Union.

The first barge is due to start operations in 2018 from the port of Barcelona, with Cepsa set to become the first ship-to-ship supplier of LNG in Spain via a multi-product barge, and Barcelona becoming the first port in southern Europe to offer the service.

"Our customers will benefit from the great flexibility that the barge will give, supplying all types of fuel from standard fuels to the most innovative, taking us a step ahead of the change in European regulations," said Alberto Martinez-Lacaci, Cepsa's Bunker Director.

"Cepsa is a bunker leader in Spain and supplies marine fuels in other important international ports such as Fujairah and Panama, so it had to be involved in this project. We are convinced that it will open a new chapter in the European bunkering market, whose future will be closely tied to the use of lower emitting fuels such as liquefied natural gas," he added.