First LNG tanker reaches Wilhelmshaven – protests planned | NDR.de – News

Status: 03.01.2023 1:07 p.m

“Maria Energy” was the first tanker loaded with liquid gas to dock at the LNG pier in Wilhelmshaven on Tuesday morning. There is criticism, among other things, because the gas was extracted with fracking.

The 289 meter long ship from the USA was accompanied by police ships on the last few meters to the terminal in the morning. According to the gas importer Uniper, it is loaded with 170,000 cubic meters of liquid gas. This should supply around 50,000 German households with energy for a year. The LNG is now converted to its gaseous state and fed into the pipeline.


VIDEO: LNG ship “Höegh Esperanza” arrives in Wilhelmshaven (12/15/2022) (3 Min)

Five billion cubic meters of natural gas per year

The floating terminal “Höegh Esperanza” arrived in Wilhelmshaven in December. It also had 165,000 cubic meters of LNG loaded and conducted for the first time gas into the German grid. It is intended to help Germany become less dependent on Russian gas. According to Uniper, around five billion cubic meters of natural gas can be landed in Germany every year via the special ship. The German annual consumption of gas is currently around 90 billion cubic meters.

Gas comes from fracking: “A historic low blow”

Environmentalists have announced protests for the evening. In the outer harbor of Hooksiel they want to demonstrate with drums and saucepans. Environmentalists object that the gas on board the freighter was fracked, the network said. The German Environmental Aid (DUH) also criticizes the import of LNG. “The fact that Germany is buying fracking gas directly from the USA for the first time today is no reason to be happy, but a historic blow for climate protection and nature conservation,” said Federal Managing Director Sascha Müller-Kraenner. The controversial funding method is banned in Germany.

Next tanker should come in a week

The arrival of “Maria Energy” is part of the terminal’s commissioning process. According to Uniper, commercial operation is expected to start in mid-January. Officially, the natural gas feed-in in Wilhelmshaven is still in test operation until mid-February. A Uniper spokesman explained that more attention is being paid to whether everything is working as intended. The next LNG tanker is expected in about a week.

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NDR 1 Lower Saxony | Current | 03.01.2023 | 12:00 o’clock

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