Exmar’s small FSRU S188 has arrived in the Netherlands onboard a heavy transport vessel owned by Boskalis, following a long trip from Singapore.
The semi-submersible transport vessel Trustee, which is carrying the unit, arrived in the Dutch Rotterdam port on Friday, according to its AIS data. It should soon depart to Eemshaven.
Belgium’s Exmar confirmed the arrival of the FSRU at the Damen yard in Rotterdam in a social media post later on Monday.
“Our team is in full swing, preparing the FSRU for its start at the Dutch LNG terminal in Eemshaven operated by Gasunie,” it said.
To remind, Dutch gas grid operator Gasunie said in April that it had expected the barge-based 26,000-cbm FSRU to arrive at its planned terminal in Eemshaven in early August.
Exmar and Gasunie signed a five-year charter deal for the 120 meters long FSRU in March. The FSRU has a capacity of 600 mmscfd.
Gasunie will use this FSRU as a floating LNG import terminal at the Eemshaven port, operated by Groningen Seaports.
This will be the country’s second LNG import facility, besides the Gate terminal in Rotterdam, where Gasunie is also a shareholder along Vopak.
In addition to this unit, Gasunie also signed a charter deal for a larger FSRU with US LNG player New Fortress Energy.
The 174,000-cbm Golar Igloo is expected to arrive in Eemshaven in August this year, such as the first unit.
With a planed expansion at Gate and the Eemshaven project, Dutch capacity would double from current 12 bcm to 24 bcm, as the Netherlands looks to slash reliance on Russian gas, Gasunie previously said.
(Article updated to include a statement by Exmar.)
