Record amount of LNG reloaded at Lithuania’s Klaipeda terminal

According to Lithuanian terminal operator KN Energies, formerly Klaipedos Nafta, a record amount of 105 thousand cubic meters of liquefied natural gas (LNG) has been transferred from the floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) Independence to the conventionally sized Amur River LNG vessel at the Klaipeda LNG terminal.

KN stated that Norway’s energy major Equinor will take the LNG from Klaipeda and deliver it to the Inkoo LNG terminal in Finland, noting that these volumes of LNG are the largest ever reloaded from the FSRU Independence to a conventionally sized vessel since the terminal’s inception.

Until now, commercial LNG transhipments from the Independence storage vessel have been limited to small-scale LNG carriers, KN said, adding that typically, less than 10 thousand cubic meters of LNG have been transhipped, with the largest transhipment of just over 17 thousand cubic meters of LNG.

Mindaugas Navikas, Chief Commercial Officer of KN Energies, commented: “This extraordinary transhipment once again highlights that the Klaipeda LNG terminal not only serves as the main source of natural gas supply to Lithuania but also acts as infrastructure of regional importance, thus ensuring gas supplies to other countries.”

“We are pleased to exert additional endeavours in supporting Finland’s natural gas requirements during this challenging period for the country, especially when the natural gas pipeline supply chain has not yet been restored.”

To note, Finland’s demand for natural gas is being met by imports of LNG since the Balticconnector gas pipeline between Finland and Estonia suffered a rupture and was shut down in early October 2023. The LNG is transported by sea to the Inkoo FSRU Exemplar and the gas is transported by pipeline from the LNG storage vessel to the shore.

Just recently, Finnish energy company Gasum delivered a cargo of LNG, procured from Germany’s SEFE (Securing Energy for Europe), to the Inkoo FSRU, announcing that the company has reserved another slot at the Inkoo for the latter part of the winter season to ensure that the company can meet the natural gas demand of its customers until spring 2024.

As for the Klaipeda terminal, KN has announced that, having received a request from one of the terminal users regarding the planned non-utilization of LNG terminal capacities, there are available terminal capacities for booking.

Size of spot cargo is 1 000 000 000 kWh +- 5%, KN noted, adding that requests for different sizes of cargo are considered.

To remind, in November 2023, KN completed the procedure for the allocation of 9 TWh long-term regasification capacity for the Klaipeda terminal, securing its full occupancy until 2033.

At the time, the operator said the procedure showed a high demand for LNG terminal services with potential customers expressing intention to purchase more than twice as much terminal capacity as offered by KN.​