The Dutch Gate LNG import terminal in Rotterdam, a joint venture between Dutch utility Gasunie and global storage company Royal Dutch Vopak, is proceeding with its open season to gauge market interest in an additional 4 billion cubic metres per annum of capacity.
As a first step, the operating company, Gate Terminal BV, is inviting market parties to formulate non-binding expressions of interest (EOI).
Procedure
Following signature of a confidentiality agreement (for which Gate will provide the draft) parties can indicate in a free format their non-binding but “bona fide” interest in capacity at the Gate facility.
“The EOI should at least mention the required capacity (maximum 4 Bcm per year), required duration (at least 10 years), required start-up date (between 1 April 2026 and 1 April 2028) and the required ultimate date by which the condition precedent is an investment decision,” explained Gate Terminal.
The company added that participating in this non-binding phase is a requirement to participate in the binding phase which is tentatively scheduled from Monday 14 November 2022 until Friday 16 December 2022.
Gate Terminal said that allocation rules would be announced prior to the binding phase.
Conditions
“Each party will bear its own costs associated with the open season. No rights can be derived from participating in the process,” it added.
The company may also change the process as long as no binding throughput contracts are in place.
Annual capacity is currently 12 Bcm on a firm basis and in addition 4 Bcm on an interruptible basis is available in the future.
There are also moves under way to Increase the truck-loading capacity at the Rotterdam facility.
Gate Terminal has said that in 2022 the number of truck-loading operations had been higher each month than in the corresponding months of 2021.
This resulted in congestion and as a mitigation Gate Terminal has used its spare truck-loading bay.
In addition to LNG carrier deliveries, Gate Terminal also offers a portfolio of other services including back-loading services for LNG vessels, ranging from small bunker vessels to large LNG carriers and the loading of LNG containers.
The Rotterdam terminal started operations in 2011 and analysts note that expansion in the Netherlands has been slower than other facilities around Europe.
