Germany has chartered four other FSRUs (source: Höegh LNG)
French energy major TotalEnergies will supply, install and operate a floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) for Germany’s Deutsche ReGas to help the country import more liquefied natural gas this year
Deutsche ReGas is developing the Deutsche Ostsee LNG terminal in Lubmin, the exit point of the Nord Stream pipelines which flow from Russia. In recent weeks, flows from the Nord Stream pipelines have decreased as maintenance work on the pipeline begins, but there are fears the shutdown might extend given the war in Ukraine.
Germany has no LNG terminals and in June, the country’s economic ministry warned a prolonged shutdown could be catastrophic for its industries.
The FSRU will help Germany keep the gas flowing and is expected to be operational by December 2022 and capable of feeding 4.5Bn m3 of natural gas annually into the country’s transmission network.
Due to the shallow depth of the Greifswalder Bodden in front of Lubmin, a floating storage unit (FSU) will be stationed in the Baltic Sea, to which LNG tankers up to 170,000 m3 can dock and transfer LNG. From there, three shuttle vessels will transport the LNG to the FSRU in the Lubmin industrial port.
The terminal itself is privately financed and outside the German Government’s LNG import strategy, but the signing took place in front of government officials.
The ships will be chartered by Deutsche ReGas while Total owns the FSRU. Separately, Germany has secured four FSRUs: two from Höegh LNG and two from Dynagas, which are federally funded. The Total FSRU is not federally funded.
