A unit of LNG giant Shell has booked regasification capacity at Gasunie’s LNG import hub in Eemshaven, which will host two floating storage and regasification units.
LNG Prime recently reported that Czech firm ČEZ booked capacity as well.
Shell Western LNG and ČEZ have jointly contracted 7 billion cubic meters (bcm) of capacity at the Eemshaven hub in the Netherlands, according to a statement by Gasunie on Thursday.
Gasunie’s unit and the developer of the LNG hub, EemsEnergyTerminal, expects to sell the remaining 1 bcm of capacity “in the coming months”.
Also, the firm said the signing of these deals “is an important precondition” for the security of supply of LNG, as the Netherlands and Europe look to slash reliance on Russian gas supplies.
To remind, Belgium’s Exmar and Gasunie signed a five-year charter deal for the 120 meters long FSRU S188 in March.
Following a trip from Singapore, this barge-based FSRU arrived last month in Rotterdam for modification works at the Damen yard.
In addition, Gasunie also signed a charter deal for a larger FSRU with US LNG player New Fortress Energy. The vessel in question is the 174,000-cbm Golar Igloo.
With an expansion at the Gate terminal in Rotterdam and the Eemshaven project, Dutch capacity would double from current 12 bcm to 24 bcm.
Gasunie expects both of the FSRUs to arrive at the Eemshaven facility at the end of August.
The firm plans to connect Golar Igloo first to the Dutch natural gas grid, followed later by Exmar’s FSRU.
“The agreements were concluded in record time and we realize that this is only possible on the basis of trust, partnership and a common goal to have the first LNG flowing through the grid in the autumn,” Ulco Vermeulen, member of Gasunie’s executive board, said in the statement.