LNG

Fluxys of Belgium and its subsidiary Fluxys LNG said they were seeking market interest for importing low-carbon gases to the LNG terminal at the Port of Zeebrugge.

Fluxys Belgium, the national gas grid company and operator of the Zeebrugge LNG import terminal, increased revenues and profits and said its infrastructure was used particularly intensively by customers to support security of supply in Germany and the Netherlands.

Fluxys, the Belgian gas grid and LNG terminal owner, reported annual increased consolidated turnover of €573.2 million ($638.3M) and more shipping traffic and truck-loadings as expansion plans progressed.

Fluxys, the Belgian natural gas grid company and owner of the Zeebrugge LNG import terminal, has agreed to become a partner and operator for the Hanseatic Energy Hub, the latest German LNG import terminal project to be developed west of the port of Hamburg.

Fluxys, the Belgian grid operator and owner of the Zeebrugge LNG terminal and with a large stake in Dunkirk LNG in France, has taken delivery along with Dutch joint venture partner Titan LNG of a bunkering barge to operate in the Antwerp region of the European Union energy sector.

Fluxys Belgium said that the Zeebrugge import terminal had formally started its long-term trans-shipment contract with the Russian Yamal export plant in Russia with the loading of the 155,000 cubic metres capacity carrier “Yenisei River” from the newly commissioned fifth storage tank.

Qatar Petroleum and Belgian company Fluxys LNG have signed a long-term agreement for more future Qatari access to the Zeebrugge import terminal and its gas pipeline gateway to Northwest Europe.

Qatargas, the world’s largest liquefied natural gas production company, has delivered the first cargo of LNG on a Q-Max vessel to the Belgian import and regasification terminal at Zeebrugge even though the facility has been operational for 32 years.

The Belgian Federal Commission for Electricity and Gas Regulation has approved the tariff and liquefied natural gas services agreement proposals for unloading slots and additional storage services at the Zeebrugge LNG import terminal.

The regulatory approval clears the way for Fluxys LNG to finalise new long-term contracts for the facility up to 2044.

“The approval allows us to turn binding interest from the market into new long-term contracts worth roughly 1 billion euros,” said Pascal De Buck, Chief Executive and Chairman of Fluxys Belgium, the transmission network operator.

The director of the regulatory Commission, Laurent Jacquet, said the tariffs have decreased for all terminal users who unload and store LNG, and inject natural gas into the transmission system.

“Through the new tariffs, the Commission has established a solid and stable framework for regulatory supervision in the future,” explained Jacquet.

“These favourable conditions consolidate Zeebrugge's position as an access point for LNG deliveries to Europe,” he added.

Fluxys said that the current long-term contracts for unloading at the Zeebrugge terminal expire in 2028.

During a subscription window held from 30 April until May 24 unloading slots and additional storage services at the Zeebrugge facility were offered over subsequent periods up to 2044.

“The subscription window proved highly successful and revealed binding interest from the market for the entire unloading capacity at the facility up to 2044,” stated Fluxys.

Fluxys and the regulator noted that the positive outcome of the subscription window process was the result of a combination of factors.

“Gas import needs in Northwest Europe are set to rise significantly,” they said.

“Gas production in The Netherlands and the North Sea is declining, while gas demand for power generation will increase to accommodate the phase-out of sizeable coal, lignite and nuclear power generation capacity in the region,” they added.

Fluxys stated that the subscription window offered an attractive tariff proposition together with optimum destination flexibility throughout Northwest Europe from a strategically positioned LNG terminal.

Zeebrugge is directly linked into the Belgian market (ZTP) and is fully interconnected with the gas systems of all surrounding markets.

These include the Dutch Title Transfer Facility (TTF) the German Gaspool, the Trading Region France (TRF) market and the UK National Balancing Point (NBP) and take-away capacity from the terminal is readily available.

Fluxys, the Belgian natural gas network operator and owner of the Zeebrugge LNG terminal, has joined forces with Dutch company Titan LNG for a bunkering pontoon project to make LNG maritime fuel more widely available in the Antwerp port area and region.