Dutch firm Gasunie charters small FSRU to help cut reliance on Russian gas

EXMAR NV

18/03/2022 10:12

LONDON, March 18 (Reuters) - Dutch natural gas
infrastructure company Gasunie has reached an agreement with
Belgian shipowner Exmar to charter a small floating storage and
regasification unit (FSRU) for its planned liquefied natural gas
(LNG) Eemshaven terminal in the north of the Netherlands.
    The state-owned company is looking to secure 4 billion cubic
metres (bcm) of  LNG capacity in the Eemshaven terminal, as part
of the broader Dutch push to limit its dependence on Russian
gas.  
    "This contract with Exmar is the first small step towards
that goal. There is no LNG capacity at Eemshaven yet,"
spokeswoman Marie-Lou Gregoire said. 
    The Dutch government on Monday said it aimed to double total
LNG import capacity in the country on short notice, including
expanding capacity at the Gate terminal in Rotterdam by 5 to 8
bcm.
    The FSRU has a capacity of 600 million standard cubic feet
of gas per day (MMSCFD) which is equal to 624,000 million
British thermal units (mmBtu) per day.
    Gasunie, which operates the natural gas network in the
Netherlands and parts of Germany, secured the agreement for a
5-year charter. It aims to have the terminal running by the end
of the third quarter of 2022, a statement said. 


 (Reporting by Bart H. Meijer in Amsterdam and Nora Buli in
Oslo; writing by Marwa Rashad in London; editing by Jason Neely)
 ((marwa.rashad@thomsonreuters.com; +447823669044; Reuters
Messaging: marwa.rashad.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))