Germany’s third floating LNG terminal gears up for regular operation

Hoegh Gannet, a floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) serving the Elbehafen LNG terminal in Brunsbüttel, Germany, has started supplying gas into the grid as regular operations are expected to commence in April.

Image source: RWE

The Elbehafen LNG terminal will be Germany’s third FSRU-based terminal following those in Wilhelmshaven and Lubmin.

The FSRU Höegh Gannet arrived at Brunsbüttel’s Elbehafen port at the beginning of the year. In February, the LNG terminal’s developer RWE received the first cargo of 137,000 cubic metres of LNG shipped by ADNOC under the multi-year supply agreement signed in 2022.

Now, RWE has provided an update on the project stating that LNG regasification in Brunsbüttel successfully kicked off on 22 March.

As part of the preparation works, Gasunie filled the last section of the gas pipeline that will be used to connect to the FSRU on 20 March. Prior to this, technical infrastructure on land was completed on 17 March.

At this terminal liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) can also be unloaded via FSRU according to the ship-to-ship principle. The first such operation was conducted from 18 to 20 March in Brunsbüttel.

In the first phase, the 170,000 cbm Hoegh Gannet will be operated at Brunsbüttel Ports’ existing dangerous goods jetty.

The second phase, which is expected to start at the end of 2023, will involve the injection of LNG via a newly built jetty to the west of the Elbehafen. Brunsbüttel Ports will be responsible for the construction, which will start in the first quarter of 2023.