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Germany is putting into operation natural gas import terminals as part of efforts to replace piped Russian gas following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Its first move has been to deploy floating storage regasification units (FSRUs) to receive seaborne LNG, while long-term it is planning shore-based facilities to import and produce ammonia and green hydrogen.
Here are details of the latest developments:
MUKRAN
The terminal on Ruegen island in the Baltic Sea, operated by private firm Deutsche ReGas, supplies onshore grids with LNG from pipeline firm Gascade’s link OAL, via the Neptune vessel operated by Norway’s Hoegh Evi.
It wants to restart a second FSRU eventually and restore full capacity of 13.5 billion cubic metres by 2027.
In long-term arrangements, ReGas has launched a bidding round to expand Mukran’s capacity by offering an additional 5 bcm per year from 2027 to 2043.
Earlier in September, it said it signed long-term agreements with chemicals producer BASF and Norwegian incumbent Equinor for non-specified regas capacity.
S&P Global Platts added Mukran as a discharge port in its delivered ex-ship (DES) Northwest Europe LNG benchmark prices assessment as from September 16.
LUBMIN
ReGas and Hoegh plan to develop the Baltic Sea port, a forerunner of Mukran, into an ammonia/hydrogen import terminal, which Gascade will link up with customers once it goes ahead.
WILHELMSHAVEN
Utility Uniper launched Germany’s first FSRU operation, Wilhelmshaven 1 on the North Sea, in 2022.
Uniper plans to add a land-based ammonia import reception terminal and cracker in the second half of this decade to make green hydrogen, and build a 200 MW electrolyser to be fed with local wind power.
DET officially started commercial operations at Wilhelmshaven 2 on August 29, via the Excelerate Energy-operated FSRU Excelsior, following preparatory and testing activities since May.
All available regasification slots in 2025 and 2026 were placed with gas market players in July.
STADE
Hanseatic Energy Hub (HEH) in 2024 took a final investment decision for a land-based, ammonia-ready terminal at the Elbe river inland port to start in 2027.
The terminal is expected to cost about 1 billion euros ($1.18 billion).
Employment of the FSRU Energos Force, which was expected to run until 2027 ahead of the onshore terminal starting operations, has been delayed until further notice after DET and HEH cancelled contracts with each other over still unresolved disputes on construction schedules and payments.
BRUNSBUETTEL
The Brunsbuettel FSRU – the Hoegh Gannet – will undergo upgrades expected to last two months from September 17, but will be back and operational in time for the winter season, DET said.
It went into operation in 2023 on the North Sea coast, initially chartered by the trading arm of utility RWE before being handed over to DET.
It is the forerunner of a land-based LNG facility, cleared to receive 40 million euros of state support.
It could start operations at the end of 2026, when a newly inaugurated, adjacent ammonia terminal could also start up.
(Reporting by Vera Eckert, editing by Joe Bavier)
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