Germany's Wilhelmshaven Terminal offers May LNG Capacity

Deutsche Energy Terminal (DET) said on Thursday that Germany's Wilhelmshaven liquefied natural gas terminal intends to market capacity for ships to discharge LNG in May 2025, adding that there would be limited slots available in the first quarter there and at another location.

DET has been commissioned by Berlin since the height of Europe's energy crisis in 2022 to market regasification of gas volumes arriving on LNG tankers, as well as related storage and gas deliveries to inland transport grids.

Germany's LNG terminals have helped calm markets by giving evidence that gas supplies are being stabilised and new overseas suppliers sought after westward gas exports from Russia stopped. This has helped cut gas prices from multi-year highs.

In a market notification of European operator group GIE, DET said while it would seek to market capacity at Wilhelmshaven, actual usage in May would depend on marketing results.

DET said on its own website that limited capacity slots would become available in the first three months of 2025 at the Wilhelmshaven and Brunsbuettel terminals in a Dec. 23 auction.

Shippers will need to register on the PRISMA capacity auction website, it said.

DET on Monday declared a pause at Wilhelmshaven between Jan. 5 and April 1, adding that planning could change short-term.

Operators of LNG infrastructure have been drawing up plans for land-based terminals to replace floating storage and regasification units (FSRUs), and to usher in long-term decarbonization efforts involving ammonia and green hydrogen.