GLNG: Germany refuses shipment of Russian LNG at Brunsbuettel terminal

Germany has rejected a shipment of Russian LNG slated to be received at the country’s northern Brunsbuettel import terminal, The Financial Times reported on November 14.

With the Brunsbuettel terminal having been expected to receive an LNG cargo on November 17, Germany’s economy ministry ordered the facility’s operator, Deutsche Energy Terminal, to reject any deliveries of Russian LNG shipments.

It remains unclear, what company purchased the Russian LNG cargo. According to data from the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG), three LNG vessels recently departed Novatek’s Yamal LNG terminal, located in Sabetta, northwestern Siberia.

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Berlin has been seeking to wean itself completely off Russian gas. Previously, as Russia’s largest customer in Europe, Berlin has refused to purchase Russian pipeline gas.

Germany has since pivoted towards LNG imports, mostly from the US. Berlin has earmarked funding for the construction of 10 new floating storage and regasification units (FSRU).

Brunsbuettel was the third FSRU to arrive in January 2023, with the floating LNG (FLNG) terminal importing its first LNG cargo a month later from Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC). The country received its first LNG cargo at the FSRU at Wilhelmshaven in January 2023.

Meanwhile, in July Germany also broke ground on its first land-based LNG terminal at Stade's inland port, although operations are not expected to commence until 2027.

In total, Germany plans to increase its LNG import capacity to as much as 70mn tonnes per year (tpy) by the end of the decade, which would even allow the country to begin serving as a hub for gas supplies to be sent on to its neighbours and further inland in Europe.

The expansion plans would see Germany boast the fourth largest LNG import capacity in the world if they are achieved.

However, despite Berlin’s policy to not import pipeline gas or LNG from Russia, Germany has been the final destination for some Russian LNG that has entered the European Union via Belgium’s Zeebrugge LNG import terminal.

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