Stade's LNG Terminal: Ready for Takeoff in 2024 🛢️
Saturday, at 10:00 a.m., the buzz in Stade will be palpable as the community celebrates the completion of its LNG (liquefied natural gas) terminal jetty. This milestone project, spearheaded by NPorts, is set to welcome two prominent attendees: the Parliamentary State Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Economics, Stefan Wenzel (Greens), and Lower Saxony's Economics Minister Olaf Lies (SPD).
The LNG terminal's anticipated launch in February 2024 will see around 50 LNG tankers per year docking at the Elbe site. NPorts had estimated that 5 billion cubic meters of natural gas would be managed annually – translating to about 6% of Germany’s gas consumption.
Transitional Phase for 'Transgas Force' 🚢
As we move into the tail end of 2023, the terminal infrastructure is still under development for a seamless connection. To bridge this gap, the special ship "Transgas Force" will serve as an LNG tanker for an interim period, likely extending until early 2024.
The Building Blocks of Germany's Crisis Response 🇩🇪
In the wake of Russia's aggression against Ukraine in February 2022, the German government vowed to build several LNG terminals in the country. The primary objective was to address the void in supplies owing to reduced Russian gas deliveries.
Stade, now one of the chosen sites for a floating terminal, made history in January 2023 with its inaugural pile-driving. This monumental project has been backed with a substantial investment of up to 300 million euros by NPorts, marking the company's largest endeavor since its inception.
Upcoming LNG Terminal in Wilhelmshaven 🌊
Joining Stade in the near future is Wilhelmshaven, where an LNG terminal has been in operation for over a year now. Similarly, Brunsbüttel and Lubmin in Schleswig-Holstein and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, respectively, have been operational for a year.
By 2027, Stade will see the arrival of a sturdy onshore terminal, boosting its capacity from the initial 5 billion cubic meters to over 13 billion cubic meters per year. The new terminal will be managed by HEH, headquartered in Hamburg, and a potential future role for the land-based terminal includes importing ammonia.
Enrichment Insights 🔢
- The LNG terminal in Stade is a significant step forward in diversifying Germany's natural gas supply sources and reducing reliance on Russian imports.
- The construction of the LNG terminal supports the country's transition toward a more sustainable and secure energy future.
]**
