Robert Habeck: “First landing point for LNG in Wilhelmshaven is central element of the safeguarding of our energy supply – example of Wilhelmshaven shows what can be done when everyone pulls in the same direction.”

Germany’s first landing point for liquefied natural gas (LNG) was completed today at Wilhelmshaven. It is planned to come on stream at the turn of the year; this will be preceded by technical tests.

Vice-Chancellor and Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action Robert Habeck commented: “I was privileged to be present at the ‘first pile’ on 5 May this year. Nearly 200 days later, the landing point is finished. That’s amazingly quick. My thanks and congratulations go to Lower Saxony, because this is a central element for the safeguarding of our energy supply in the coming winter. The example of Wilhelmshaven shows: Germany can be quick and press hard ahead with infrastructure projects when the Federation, the Länder and the project participants all pull in the same direction.”

Overview of the other LNG terminals
The Federal Government has currently chartered five floating liquefied natural gas terminals, each with a capacity of at least 5 bn m³ per year.
Two of the five state-chartered FSRUs in Brunsbüttel and Wilhelmshaven are scheduled to enter into operation at the turn of the year.
At Wilhelmshaven, the Hoegh Esperanza is to come on stream at the turn of the year; this will be preceded by technical tests. At Brunsbüttel, the other Hoegh vessel is also to be moved into position at the turn of the year.

Also, a Memorandum of Understanding between the Economic Affairs and Climate Ministry, Uniper, RWE and EnBW/VNG was signed on 16 August 2022 on deliveries to these FSRUs for a specific period. After that, these companies want to fully utilise their delivery window from the turn of the year until 31 March 2024. This can make the maximum contribution to security of supply.

The third and fourth FSRUs will be located in Stade and Lubmin. These facilities are to come on stream at the end of 2023. The FRSU in Stade will be operated by Hanseatic Energy Hub GmbH, and the facility in Lubmin by RWE and Stena-Power.

The fifth state-chartered FSRU is also to be based in Wilhelmshaven. This fifth vessel is to come on stream in the fourth quarter of 2023. Excelerate, the owner of the vessel, will provide the FSRU to the consortium consisting of TES/E.ON/Engie, operate it, and provide other necessary services.

Further to this, a private-sector FSRU is planned to operate in Lubmin from the end of this year, with a capacity of 4.5 billion m3 a year.

This means that the state-chartered floating LNG terminals will provide at least 25 billion m3/year of capacity in the winter of 2023/2024. Further to this, there is likely to be at least 4.5 m3/year from the private project in Lubmin. In total, the FSRUs will be able to cover roughly one-third of gas demand (based on 2021: 90.5 billion).