Rotterdam Port Fund and NIBC Bank have acquired a majority interest in Rolande, the developer and operator of LNG filling stations and producer of bio-LNG. The transaction is expected to be finalised after completing the relevant approval procedures in the first half of 2019.
Commenting on the occasion, Bastiaan van der Knaap, managing director of the Rotterdam Port Fund said that the use of LNG as a fuel is a profitable and directly applicable alternative to diesel for the transport sector. He also added that the further development to a greater use of bio-LNG can provide even more advantages related to emissions.
[smlsubform prepend=”GET THE SAFETY4SEA IN YOUR INBOX!” showname=false emailtxt=”” emailholder=”Enter your email address” showsubmit=true submittxt=”Submit” jsthanks=false thankyou=”Thank you for subscribing to our mailing list”]
In addition, CEO Jolon van der Schuit of Rolande, believes that LNG and bio-LNG play a vital role in making heavy road transport and shipping more sustainable. The further enhancement of the network of filling stations in Europe and the marketing of bio-LNG are the main objectives.
After the opening of the first permanent LNG filling station in Tilburg in 2013, Rolande has seen significant growth and currently operates thirteen filling stations, according to general manager Fred Schouten of IVECO Schouten.
Now that LNG is gaining an increasingly important position in the market, scale and expansion to other countries are essential in our view. Thanks to the Rotterdam Port Fund and NIBC we can accelerate the planned expansions
For her part, Brigitte van der Maarel, Head of NIBC Mezzanine & Equity Partners, stated that by enabling the international roll-out of the network of LNG filling stations, the parties can contribute to a sustainable and cleaner future for the transport sector.
The Rotterdam Port Fund was established by the Port of Rotterdam Authority, NIBC Bank and various Rotterdam entrepreneurs.
