Polish LNG terminal receives first cargo

Polskie LNG has announced that Qatargas has completed the delivery of the first LNG cargo to the LNG receiving terminal in Swinoujscie, Poland. Polish Oil & Gas (PGNiG) provided assistance as an intermediary in the delivery.

The 210 000 m³ capacity Q-Flex vessel, Al-Nuaman, delivered the cargo, with another delivery scheduled for February 2016.

Khalid Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, the Qatargas CEO, said: “We are extremely delighted at this historic milestone and hope that our support in commissioning of this newly constructed LNG receiving terminal will in turn help to fuel sustainable economic growth and development throughout Poland, Eastern Europe and across all nations along the Baltic Sea basin. The Swinoujscie LNG receiving terminal is a clear manifestation of Poland’s vision and commitment to ensure diversified, reliable and secure supplies of LNG and natural gas.

“Poland represents a new market for Qatargas’ premium LNG and the delivery of LNG into Poland further demonstrates our commitment to provide Europe with a clean energy source, reliably and safely. This terminal will further expand LNG’s reach into Europe – first into Poland and thereafter as a gateway into the land-locked countries in central Europe as well as into the Baltic region. The Swinoujscie LNG Terminal becomes the 17^th LNG terminal that Qatargas provides deliveries and marks another significant milestone in Qatargas’ history. Qatargas is extremely proud to be associated with the Swinoujscie LNG terminal and with Poland.”

The President of Gaz-System and Polskie LNG, Jan Chadam, said: “[The] LNG receiving terminal, along with dynamically-developed internal transfer grid and inter-system connections, gives Poland a chance to enter the international gas market and exerts a positive effect on price competitiveness of the resource. The receiving terminal’s potential makes us an important player in the area of energy independence of the whole region. We provide fuel security for Poland and the possibility to diversify the deliveries to other European states, which, by connecting their transfer systems, will facilitate establishing a competitive gas market. Poland is entering a group of independent, safe and modern countries.”

The Vice President of the PGNiG Management Board, Waldemar Wójcik, added: “LNG deliveries are one of the most important measures to diversify Poland’s gas supply sources and a crucial element of PGNiG’s strategy to diversify its supply portfolio. LNG imports will afford more flexibility in responding to market conditions, while improving Poland’s energy security. We are happy that LNG deliveries have started to arrive at the Swinoujscie terminal, hoping that the contract between PGNiG and Qatargas will mark the beginning of a long-term partnership between the two companies.”

Edited from press release by David Rowlands

Read the article online at: https://www.lngindustry.com/regasification/14122015/polish-lng-terminal-receives-first-cargo-1765/