Fluxys: Zeebrugge LNG Deliveries Down in 2013

Fluxys of Belgium, the operator of the Zeebrugge LNG terminal, said that 37 LNG carriers unloaded at Zeebrugge in 2013, compared with 46 in 2012.

The 37 carriers unloaded a total of 2.2 million tonnes of LNG mainly from Ras Laffan, Qatar. Seven of the 37 ships were Q-Flex carriers, among the largest LNG carriers in the world. A total of 1,351 ships unloaded at the LNG terminal between the start of commercial activities in 1987 and the end of 2013.

21 LNG carriers loaded

The high level of natural gas supply in Europe combined with high demand for natural gas in South America and Asia have resulted in heavy demand for loading services at the terminal over the past two years, with 21 carriers loading in 2013 and 25 in 2012. The 21 vessels that berthed for loading in 2013 took on board a total of 1.1 million tonnes of LNG.

819 truck loadings: a big success

A total of 819 trucks were loaded with LNG in 2013, compared with just 316 in 2012. December 2013 was an all-time record month, with no fewer than 114 LNG trucks loaded. Most of the LNG was bound for the Netherlands, France, the UK, Germany, Scandinavia, Switzerland and Poland, where the market for LNG as a transport fuel is strongly developing.

2014 also promises to be a strong year. A total of 3,600 slots were booked by haulage companies during the October-November subscription window, with 1,847 loadings scheduled for 2014.

Press Release, March 20, 2014; Image: Fluxys