Future of German LNG terminal uncertain

Uniper said its subsidiary LTeW (LNG Terminal Wilhelmshaven GmbH) is reconsidering plans for the Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU) at the Niedersachsen Ports-operated Port of Wilhelmshaven because of market players’ reluctance to make binding bookings for import capacities in the current economic climate. The expression-of-interest procedure for the terminal concluded at the end of October.

Project manager, Oliver Giese, Uniper, said: “Economic uncertainties have definitely played a role in the current circumstances. Many companies don’t want to make long-term commitments at the moment. The results of the expression-of-interest procedure show that we need to revise the scope and focus of the planned terminal to ensure that it remains attractive to market players and economically predictable for LTeW and Uniper.”

Several new options for using the Wilhelmshaven site as an import port for environmentally friendly gas are being considered, for example by adapting individual parameters of the terminal or adding new elements. Importing hydrogen directly would also be a possibility in the long term.

Uniper CEO Andreas Schierenbeck said: “Import infrastructure to include hydrogen is conceivable in the long term.”

In June 2020, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) and LTeW signed a contract to build and charter the FSRU.

In January 2019, Uniper and Titan LNG said they were planning to develop a user-friendly technical interface and commercial products for small-scale LNG players involved with the FSRU.