Gothenburg's 250 GWh LBG Bunkering Plant on Track for 2027

A 500-cubic-meter liquefied biogas storage tank, weighing roughly 140 tonnes, has been installed at the Port of Gothenburg — the first major equipment milestone for a facility that will supply Scandinavia's largest port with renewable marine fuel from the second quarter of 2027.

The plant, developed and owned by Swedish energy infrastructure company Nordion Energi, will produce 250 gigawatt-hours of LBG annually once operational. That output equals the fuel demand of about 500 heavy-duty trucks per year, or the bunkering needs of 50 vessels — a meaningful volume for shipowners converting gas-fueled tonnage away from fossil fuel.

Why the tank matters

The storage vessel arrived at the port by ship and will hold up to 200 tonnes of liquefied biogas. Groundworks, foundations and base slabs are already complete, so the tank installation signals the project has moved from civil works into mechanical build-out.

"The facility is now really starting to take shape, and we are moving closer to our goal of being able to deliver LBG from the gas grid to shipping, heavy transport and industry," said Carolina Wistén, Head of Customer and Market, Gas Grid, at Nordion Energi.

The plant carries a structural distinction beyond its size: it will be the first biogas liquefaction facility in Sweden connected directly to the western Swedish gas grid. That link opens a new route for domestically produced biogas to reach maritime, transport and industrial customers without dedicated road logistics.

What does it change for shipping?

For carriers calling at Gothenburg, the facility adds a large-scale renewable bunkering option in a port that handles roughly 20% of Sweden's foreign trade and more than half of the country's container traffic. LBG can be burned by vessels with compatible gas-fueled propulsion systems, and its availability is growing in relevance as shipowners order alternative-fuel tonnage to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

"Shipping's transition requires a collaborative value chain. This facility strengthens the port's position in renewable bunker fuels and makes it possible to offer LBG to the shipping sector on a larger scale," said Therese Jällbrink, Head of Renewable Energy at the Port of Gothenburg.

"As we see more and more vessels on order for LBG operation, we also see strong potential for increased bunkering at the Port of Gothenburg," she added.

The commercial groundwork is already in place. ST1 Biokraft has secured a portion of the facility's future liquefaction capacity, and several shipping companies that regularly call at Gothenburg already operate LBG-fueled vessels — giving the plant a ready customer base from day one.

Who benefits downstream

Swedish biogas producers connected to the national gas infrastructure gain a new outlet, since the grid connection lets their output reach liquefaction and then maritime and heavy-transport markets. For the Port of Gothenburg, the investment advances a broader strategy to position itself as a regional hub for alternative marine fuels.

With the tank in place and capacity pre-sold, the project enters its final construction phase targeting the Q2 2027 start-up — a timeline that, if held, will give LBG-fueled vessels a domestic Scandinavian fuel source just as more of that tonnage enters service.