US LNG exporter Venture Global LNG has sent a new cargo from its Calcasieu Pass liquefaction plant in Louisiana to Europe since the start of production in January.
The 2020-built, 174,000-cbm Elisa Larus picked up the fifth Calcasieu cargo and left the facility, according to its AIS data on Wednesday provided by VesselsValue.
The LNG carrier owned by NYK and Geogas and chartered by EDF is heading towards France’s Dunkirk LNG terminal, the data shows.
It should arrive in Dunkirk on April 12. EDF and TotalEnergies are the main customers of the Dunkirk LNG terminal with a capacity of 13 bcm of natural gas per year.
However, the LNG carrier may change its final destination in the meantime.
The first two Calcasieu Pass cargoes have already landed in Europe, one at the Dunkirk LNG terminal and the other at the UK’s South Hook facility.
In addition, the 2013-built, 173,000-cbm Stena Crystal Sky, is on its way to Italy’s Livorno with the facility’s fourth cargo.
The third Calcasieu Pass cargo will probably not land in Europe. The 2019-built, 180,000-cbm Nohshu Maru seems to be heading to Japan after passing through the Panama Canal and should arrive there in about two weeks.
US LNG exports to Europe have been constantly rising during the last months.
As part of a recent deal, the US said it would work to supply at least 15 billion cubic meters (bcm) of LNG to European Union markets this year, as the EU looks to slash dependence on Russian gas.
One of the seven large US facilities which could add a significant amount to these exports is Venture Global’s Calcasieu Pass LNG plant.
The newest US facility is expected to ramp up its production to 10 mtpa later this year once Venture Global commissions all modular units.
