Dunkirk LNG terminal starts commercial operations

Dunkirk LNG, France’s fourth liquefied natural gas import terminal, located within the enclosure of the Dunkirk harbour, has started commercial operations on January 1.

Performance testing at the facility was completed during December.

The facility is the second largest in mainland Europe and is the only one in Europe connected directly to two markets, France and Belgium, according to a joint statement by the project participants.

Its annual regasification capacity of 13 billion cubic meters accounts for more than 20 percent of French and Belgian natural gas consumption.

The facility’s jetty can receive up to 150 LNG carriers per year, with capacities ranging from 65,000-cbm up to Q-Max vessels with the capacity to transport 267,000-cbm of LNG. The terminal includes three 200,000-cbm LNG storage tanks.

Marc Benayoun, executive director of the EDF Group, in charge of the gas sector and Italy noted that the terminal creates a new point of gas imports in France but also strengthens the security of supply in Europe.

Dunkirk LNG is 65 percent owned by EDF, 25 percent by Fluxys and 10 percent by Total.

LNG World News Staff