Germany to operate two new floating liquiefied natural gas terminals

Two additional floating import terminals for liquefied natural gas (LNG) are expected to be operational in Germany before the winter.

A spokesman for the government-owned operating company 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 Wilhemlshaven, and on the Elbe River near the town of Stade.

Germany has accelerated the development of LNG terminals on its North Sea and Baltic Sea coasts since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which has driven Berlin to seek to lessen 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 aim is to construct onshore facilities.

Economy Minister Robert Habeck recently said Germany is well-prepared for the coming winter, with gas storage facilities sufficiently filled thanks in part to the LNG facilities.

However, the decision to rely on gas for the country's energy transition has attracted criticism from organizations such as Environmental Action Germany, which has campaigned against the construction of new LNG terminals.

The two new terminals were initially due to be completed by the first half of 2024, but were delayed to the end of the year due to issues including supply problems.

Unlike the first floating LNG terminal in Wilhelmshaven, which has been operational since early 2023 at an existing transshipment facility for chemical goods, the new site is being developed on a purpose-built dock without a direct attachment to land.

"Work on the island facility is progressing at full speed," the DET spokesman stated, adding that the last steps include securing connections between foundational structures embedded into the sea bed, as well as ensuring the supply of power and data.

In Stade, west of Hamburg, the Energos Force ship is being converted into a floating terminal. The DET spokesman said further work on the ship must be completed before the terminal can go into operation.