Gas bunkering plans raise GSD concern

The GSD has raised concerns about the prospect of LNG bunkering following the announcement yesterday of a deal between the Gibraltar Government and Shall.

The agreement includes the running of a regasification plant and the supply of LNG for the new power station, but also the potential for gas bunkering in the future.

“This of course is where the real interest lies for Shell, as we have stated all along,” the Opposition said in a statement.

“While Government states that this would take place 'following environmental assessments and safeguards', the GSD is yet to see in the public domain anything definitive that makes the present plans acceptably safe, let alone increasing activity with future bunkering.”

“An increase in LNG vessels in the Bay will inevitably lead to an increased risk, the recent collisions between vessels within BGTW just serve to highlight how real this risk is.”

“The GSD, in the interest of the community, will continue to pursue the evidence to support the Government's assessment that these projects are acceptably safe, evidence which thus far is lacking”

The Opposition also recalled that the MoD’s opinion of the Environmental Impact Assessment forwarded to the Development and Planning Commission for the project was withdrawn at the public meeting and discussed behind closed doors.

“Nothing about a project of this scale and public interest should be dealt with in secret,” it added.