Ship Hellas Diana at the LNG terminal Mukran: Doubt about the lack of gas?

Ship Hellas Diana at the LNG terminal Mukran: Doubt about the lack of gas?

A significant event recently took place in the LNG terminal in Mukran on Rügen when the LNG ship "Hellas Diana", an impressive 300 meter long tanker under Maltese flag. According to the Internet location system Marine Traffic, the ship from Freeport, Texas, arrived. This was done as part of the continued trial operation of the energy terminal "German Baltic Sea", which is operated by the German regas.

The terminal is equipped with advanced regasification ships, the so-called FSRUS (Floating Storage and Regasification Unit). The ships "Energos Power" and "Neptune" are of central importance. After the landing, the liquid gas is converted into gas and fed into the German distribution network via a natural gas connection line after Lubmin. The planned total capacity of the terminal is given by German regas at 13.5 billion cubic meters of gas per year, which is about 15 percent of the current annual consumption in Germany.

Criticism and concerns about the gas deficiency

The political support for the construction of the LNG terminal in the Rügen region, which is characterized by tourism, was reinforced by the LNG acceleration law, which aims to secure the gas supply in Germany. Surprisingly, however, the voices are increasing that doubt that a gas deficiency is actually imminent. These concerns question a central reason for the construction of such special terminals.

Germany still does not obtain the majority of his natural gas from LNG tankers, but mostly through pipelines, especially from Norway, the Netherlands and Belgium. Industry reports show that liquid gas has only a share of less than ten percent in total deliveries. This fact has critic of the project like the German Environmental Aid (Duh, which describes the terminal as "expensive and unnecessary investment ruins".

The situation around the LNG terminal on Rügen shows the complex challenges that Germany is facing when it comes to diversification of its energy sources. While the need for alternative gas sources is increasing, the need for certain projects that affect national energy supply is still controversial. It remains to be seen whether the terminal can actually contribute to stabilizing the gas supply or whether it is ultimately considered oversized.