Dutch gas grid operator Gasunie expects Exmar’s small 26,000-cbm FSRU S188 to arrive at its planned terminal in Eemshaven in early August, as the Netherlands looks to reduce reliance on Russian gas.
Exmar and Gasunie signed a five-year charter deal for the 120 meters long barge-based FSRU in March. The FSRU has a capacity of 600 mmscfd.
Gasunie will use the FSRU as a floating LNG import terminal at the Eemshaven port, operated by Groningen Seaports.
This would be the country’s second LNG import facility, besides the Gate terminal in Rotterdam.
With the new LNG facility in Eemshaven and the planned expansion of Gate, the LNG capacity in the Netherlands could double from 12 bcm to 24 bcm, according to Gasunie.
EemsEnergyTerminal
The Dutch firm said in a statement on Monday that preparations for the installation of the Eemshaven LNG import terminal were progressing “rapidly”.
“Currently still moored in Singapore, the floating LNG plant will set off on its journey to the Netherlands in May and is expected to arrive at Eemshaven in early August,” the firm said.
In addition, Gasunie said it has started the tendering procedure for market parties interested in transporting LNG from Eemshaven into the European hinterland.
‘We will now enter further negotiations with potential customers. They will be the ones who will be using our terminal in the near future, initially for LNG, and later for green hydrogen,” Ulco Vermeulen, member of Gasunie’s executive board, said.
Vermeulen said Gasunie would operate the facility under the name “EemsEnergyTerminal”.
Private-sector parties that buy LNG can use the new floating terminal to take liquefied natural gas to the Netherlands as early as this winter, according to Gasunie.
Gasunie said it would take care of connecting Eemshaven to the nationwide gas pipeline network and distributing the gas across the Netherlands.
The firm added it would build a “permanent terminal at a later stage”.
