Snam’s FSRU-based LNG import terminal in the Italian port of Piombino is expected to receive its second liquefied natural gas cargo on Friday. This is also the terminal’s first commercial shipment.
The 2017-built, Ougarta, owned by Sonatrach’s Hyproc Shipping, arrived near the 170,000-cbm Golar Tundra on Friday, according to its AIS data provided by VesselsValue.
Also, Ougarta is loaded with a cargo from the Sonatrach-operated Arzew LNG export plant in Algeria, the data shows.
This shipment from Algeria is the first commercial LNG cargo for the FSRU-based facility.
Snam did not respond to LNG Prime’s request to comment on the matter.
Eni delivered the shipment
Eni confirmed the arrival of the shipment in a statement on Saturday.
The firm said it has delivered a cargo of 90 million cubic meters from the Sonatrach liquefaction plant in Betihoua, Algeria to the Piombino terminal.
Unloading operations took place following the completion of the test phase and mark the beginning of the terminal’s commercial operation, it said.
As part of the commissioning phase, Snam’s Golar Tundra received its first cargo in May onboard the 2021-built, Maran Gas Kalymnos, owned by Greece’s Maran Gas and chartered by Italy’s Eni.
Eni booked regasification capacity at the FSRU-based facility as part of its strategy to diversify LNG supplies to Italy through its internationally produced equity gas.
Second FSRU-based terminal in Italy
Snam purchased Golar Tundra with a regasification capacity of 5 bcm from Golar LNG last year for $350 million, and the unit arrived in Piombino from Singapore in March.
FSRU Italia, a unit of Snam, has already allocated more than 86 percent of the offered regasification capacity following the first allocation procedure and in April it offered the remaining quantities as well.
This is Italy’s fourth large LNG terminal and also the second FSRU-based facility.
Last year, Snam also bought one FSRU from BW and signed a deal to convert LNG carrier Golar Arctic into an FSRU.
Snam plans to employ the 2015-built FSRU BW Singapore to serve the facility off Ravenna.
The company owns the Panigaglia facility and has stakes in the FSRU Toscana and the Adriatic LNG import terminal.
(Updated on July 8, 2023 with a statement by Eni.)
