Two additional floating import terminals for liquefied natural gas (LNG) are expected to be operational in Germany before winter.
A spokesperson for the state-owned Deutsche Energy Terminal (DET) told dpa in comments published on Sunday that final preparations are being made at the facilities, located off the coast of the northern port of Wilhelmshaven, and on the Elbe River near the city of Stade.
Germany has accelerated the development of LNG terminals on the North Sea and Baltic Sea coasts since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, prompting Berlin to reduce its dependence on Russian gas.
Several floating terminals are already in operation – in Wilhelmshaven, near the mouth of the Elbe in Brunsbüttel and on the eastern island of Rügen – but the long-term goal is to build facilities on land.
Minister of Economy Robert Habeck recently said that Germany is well prepared for the coming winter, with the gas storage facilities being sufficiently filled, partly thanks to the LNG facilities.
However, the decision to rely on gas for the country’s energy transition has drawn criticism from organizations such as Environmental Action Germany, which has campaigned against the construction of new LNG terminals.
The two new terminals were initially expected to be ready in the first half of 2024, but were postponed until the end of the year due to supply problems, among other things.
In contrast to the first floating LNG terminal in Wilhelmshaven, which has been operational since early 2023 at an existing chemical cargo handling facility, the new location is being developed on a purpose-built dock without direct attachment to land.
“Work on the island facility is progressing at full speed,” the DET spokesperson said, adding that final steps include securing connections between fundamental structures embedded in the seabed and ensuring the supply of power and data include.
In Stade, west of Hamburg, the Energos Force ship is being converted into a floating terminal. The DET spokesperson said further work on the ship must be completed before the terminal can be put into use.