The 170,000-cbm FSRU Hoegh Esperanza is heading towards Germany to start serving the Uniper-led Wilhelmshaven facility, according to shipping data.
Last month, Hoegh LNG said it was preparing the 2018-built unit ahead of its long-term charter in Germany.
Following the completion of works in Damen’s yard in Brest, France, the unit departed to Spain and took a cargo at the Sagunto LNG import terminal, according to its AIS data provided by VesselsValue.
The FSRU should arrive in Wilhelmshaven around December 10, the data shows.
This could become the first-ever LNG shipment to Germany as the country has still no operational regasification terminals.
In November, Niedersachsen Ports (NPorts) confirmed the completion of the jetty in Wilhelmshaven, the country’s first LNG jetty, saying the firm expected Hoegh’s FSRU to arrive in mid-December.
This facility, RWE’s Elbhafen LNG terminal in Brunsbuettel, and the first private terminal in Lubmin are expected to become the country’s first floating LNG import terminals.
Germany is financing the charters of five FSRUs. These include the two units RWE chartered from Hoegh LNG, the two Dynagas units chartered to Uniper, and Excelerate’s FSRU chartered by Engie, TES, and E.ON.
Deutsche ReGas working to launch Lubmin FSRU terminal
Besides these government-backed units, Deutsche ReGas is also working on the first private German FSRU-based facility in Lubmin and expects to launch it in December this year.
Last month, Deutsche ReGas announced the arrival of the 2009-built 145,000-cbm FSRU Neptune in the Mukran Port on the island of Ruegen.
The German firm led by Ingo Wagner and Stephan Knabe chartered the unit from the French energy giant TotalEnergies.
Hoegh LNG Partners, now 100 percent owned by Hoegh LNG, has a 50 percent stake in this unit, MOL owns 48.5 percent, and Tokyo LNG Tanker has 1.5 percent.
Deutsche ReGas said it would prepare the FSRU in cooperation with the Mukran Port prior to the unit heading to the Port of Lubmin to start providing regasification services in December.
Originally, the firm planned to launch the project on December 1.
However, the firm said in a update released on November 29 that the timeline of the project could change as it still awaits to receive two approvals while bad weather could also affect the arrival of the FSRU in Lubmin.
Depending on these factors, Deutsche Regas says it still could launch the project by the end of December.