Energy firm RWE will not take part in the German government’s plans to develop an FSRU-based LNG import terminal in the Mukran port on the island of Rügen.
“RWE is not involved in the German government’s plan for a possible FSRU terminal in Mukran,” a spokesperson for RWE told LNG Prime via email.
The spokesperson did not provide any additional information.
The German government said last year that RWE and Stena Power would develop the FSRU-based facility off Lubmin.
This terminal has faced strong opposition from environmental groups in Germany.
RWE already developed Germany’s Elbehafen FSRU-based LNG import terminal in Brunsbüttel.
The 170,000-cbm FSRU Hoegh Gannet, which serves the Elbehafen LNG import terminal, recently started commercial operations.
The government-owned Deutsche Energy Terminal GmbH will handle the commercial operations of the FSRU-based LNG terminal, while RWE is responsible for the technical operations of the terminal.
This is the third FSRU-based LNG terminal in Germany following the launch of the Wilhelmshaven facility, and the private Lubmin terminal.
Five FSRUs
The German government, helped by Uniper, RWE, and a consortium of Engie, TES, and E.ON chartered in total five FSRUs.
Uniper and RWE installed Hoegh LNG’s FSRUs in Wilhelmshaven and Brunsbüttel, while Deutsche Regas launched its FSRU-based LNG import terminal in Lubmin, the first private facility in Germany.
Transgas Force, owned by Dynagas, will work in Stade, while Excelerate Energy’s FSRU Excelsior will serve the second project in Wilhelmshaven.
The remaining FSRU is the 174,000-cbm FSRU Transgas Power, owned by Dynagas.
Deutsche ReGas
Several reports in Germany said that Deutsche ReGas would develop the project in Mukran in cooperation with the German government instead of RWE.
The reports also suggest that Deutsche ReGas would move the 2009-built 145,000-cbm, FSRU Neptune, which it chartered from French energy giant TotalEnergies, from Lubmin to Mukran.
Industry sources also told LNG Prime that the terminal in Mukran would probably include FSRU Transgas Power and FSRU Neptune.
We contacted Deutsche ReGas for a comment, but we did not receive a reply by the time this article was published.
Deutsche ReGas officially launched its FSRU-based LNG import terminal in Lubmin in January this year.
Besides the FSRU, the 137,814-cbm LNG carrier Seapeak Hispania serves as a floating storage unit for the project, while Deutsche ReGas chartered three small LNG carriers from Anthony Veder to transport LNG from the FSU to the FSRU due to draft restrictions in Lubmin.
French energy giant TotalEnergies and Switzerland-based trading firm MET Group booked capacity at this FSRU-based facility. (May 23, 2023)
GERMANY - LNG - SUPPLIES - IMPORTS - EXPORTS