The federal government has announced plans to expand the ports of Rostock and Lubmin in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania into energy ports and thus support the state’s energy security strategy.
In Brandenburg, on September 16, the federal government presented a future package for the transformation of east German refinery sites and ports. In particular, the package includes measures to expand the energy ports in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and to maintain the PCK Schwedt refinery and the Leuna refinery in Saxony-Anhalt.
“Mecklenburg-West Pomerania is still willing to make its contribution Germany’s energy supply. In the current situation, this means that oil should be imported to Germany via Rostock and liquid natural gas via Lubmin. We are very grateful that the federal government has launched an additional investment program. It enables investments in our ports, the expansion of the pipeline from Rostock to the refinery in Schwedt and long-term investments in the hydrogen economy.” Manuela SchweigPrime Minister of Macklenburg-Western Pomerania, said.
“Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania will also benefit greatly from the future package. We have worked intensively on this at the federal level. The focus here is on transformation investments in infrastructure, in particular for the expansion of the Rostock seaport and the further development of various energy projects to further support hydrogen projects. Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania will make its contribution to securing Germany’s energy supply,” Reinhard MeierMinister of Economy, Infrastructure, Tourism and Labour, stressed.
Further expansion of the Rostock energy port
The federal government has announced that it will support investments in connection with the expansion of the port infrastructure that help maintain security of supply with natural gas, oil and coal.
“The focus is on the energy port of Rostock, in which in particular the expansion of the existing berth and the construction of an additional berth as deep-water berths for crude oil and green energy sources are taking place”, Meyer continued.
The federal government will bear 100 percent of the costs for the investments required in this context, amounting to around 50 million euros.
Hydrogen and power-to-liquid fuels
In order to support the transformation, particularly in the east German refinery locations and ports, a cross-location special funding program amounting to 750 million euros will also be launched as part of the joint task to improve the regional economic structure (GRW).
“To the energy transition, significant investments are required. The Rostock-Warnemünde shipyard location in the northern part of the Rostock harbor basin, which was taken over by the Bundesnavalarsenal, offers the prerequisites for further investments. We want to enable the production of next-generation offshore converter platforms at the site,” Meyer added.
“In order to enable a corresponding sustainable civil use at this location in addition to the naval arsenal, the construction of a new heavy-duty quay in the southern part of the shipyard area is necessary. Among other things, this quay should offer the opportunity to expand the range of applications for the hydrogen research factory planned in Rostock in cooperation with the Fraunhofer Institute. The additional funds are a valuable support for these and other goals.”
Around 187.5 million euros will be allocated to Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania as part of the special program.
Invest in green projects
The PCK Schwedt, together with a research network around the Leibniz Institute for Catalysis (LIKAT) has applied to the federal government to set up and operate a development platform for power-to-liquid fuels (PtL-EPP).
The investment and operating costs amount to more than 500 million euros.
“The federal government welcomes the cooperation application from Rostock and Schwedt. Our focus is on the subsequent use and consolidation of the Rostock-Schwedt line project via green energy sources. The federal government provides funds for this. We need clarity about the overall funding of the project,” Meyer explains.
In a white paper, the federal government announced numerous other projects – including, for example, that of LIKAT e. V. proposed project on PtL fuels together with PCK Schwedt. Over a period of five years, around 100 million euros in additional budget funds will be made available by the federal government (without the co-financing obligation of the federal states).
“In order to ensure sustainable development of the port of Rostock, the creation of a suitable infrastructure at the Rostock location for the production and grid-connected transmission of hydrogen up to the landing of hydrogen and ammonia is of considerable strategic importance for the federal government,” Meyer closed.
