First transshipment at Zeebrugge LNG terminal

The Zeebrugge LNG terminal performed its first direct ship-to-ship transfer of liquefied natural gas (LNG) today. The successful completion of the operation marks the start of LNG transshipment services at the facility.

The Zeebrugge LNG terminal has been preparing for direct ship-to-ship transshipment operations since commissioning of the second jetty at the facility in late 2016. With two LNG carriers simultaneously moored at the two jetties, LNG can be unloaded from one vessel and directly loaded onto the other.

Transshipment from arctic LNG vessel to conventional LNG carrier

During the first direct ship-to-ship transfer at the terminal LNG was transshipped from the arctic LNG carrier Eduard Toll to the conventional LNG carrier PSKOV. The Edouard Toll is part of the fleet of custom built arctic LNG vessels for the LNG production facility on the Yamal peninsula in Siberia. Being able to navigate through ice, arctic LNG carriers bring LNG from Yamal to Europe, where the cargoes are loaded onto conventional LNG vessels for delivery to their destination markets.

The Zeebrugge LNG terminal and Yamal Trade have signed a 20-year agreement for up to 107 transshipments per year. The agreement is set to start in 2019 upon commissioning of the 5th LNG storage tank currently under construction. The latter will make transshipment arrangements more flexible as LNG storage allows for ship-storage-ship transfers not requiring both LNG carriers to be moored at the terminal simultaneously.

140 berthing rights for direct ship-to-ship transfers available

The Zeebrugge LNG terminal currently has 140 berthing rights on offer for direct ship-to-ship transfers in the period up to the end of 2018. The berthing rights are available at a competitive price on a first come, first served basis.