Germany’s DET expects to launch two FSRU terminals in January

DET previously expected to commission the two facilities before the winter.

“Despite many challenges during the course of the project and against the backdrop of a tight schedule, the construction works for the new terminals Wilhelmshaven 02 and Stade are almost complete,” a DET spokesman said.

He said final work is currently still being carried out.

“According to the current status, commissioning is planned for January for both terminals,” the spokesman said.

Four FSRU terminals

DET currently operates the first Wilhelmshaven LNG terminal which features the 170,000-cbm Hoegh Esperanza and the LNG terminal in Brunsbüttel which features the 170,000-cbm Hoegh Gannet. This FSRU will move to a new dedicated jetty in the port.

In August, DET announced that it has received in total of 100 LNG cargoes at its two FSRU-based LNG terminals in Wilhelmshaven and Brunsbüttel since January 2023.

The company’s third LNG import facility in Stade features the 174,000-cbm FSRU Energos Force.

In March this year, the 2021-built FSRU, owned by Apollo’s Energos Infrastructure, arrived at the AVG jetty in Stade.

Once operational, the almost 300 meters long ship will feed up to 5 bcm of gas per year into the German gas network.

DET previously said it expects commissioning to start at its second terminal in Wilhelmshaven with a capacity of about 4 bcm per year during the second half of this year.

Excelerate’s 138,000-cbm FSRU Excelsior arrived at the Navantia yard in El Ferrol, Spain last year for a planned stopover before its job in Wilhelmshaven. According to its AIS data, the FSRU is still located there.

Unlike the three other FSRU-based terminals, the jetty for the second Wilhelmshaven LNG terminal is located offshore Wilhelmshaven.

In addition to these four facilities, private LNG terminal operator Deutsche ReGas launched commercial operations in September at its FSRU-based LNG terminal in the German port of Mukran.

This terminal with a capacity of 13.5 bcm is the largest LNG import facility in Germany and it features two FSRUs, Energos Power and Neptune.