An LNG cargo from the US ordered by D.TRADING International SA, a subsidi-ary of DTEK Group, the largest private Ukrainian energy company, has reached the Klaipeda LNG terminal operated by KN Energies. Approximately 160 000 m3 of US LNG will be transferred into the tanks of the FSRU Independence from the LNG carrier GasLog Houston that arrived in Klaipeda port. A share of the LNG cargo delivered to Klaipeda will, after regasification, reach Ukraine via pipelines and international interconnector links.
“After the Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, Lithuania was quick to act – a cargo of LNG is already on its way to Ukraine. The Klaipeda LNG terminal is one of the busiest and most utilised in Europe, yet it also provides an opportunity to assist Ukraine – through it, we can help ensure gas supply and en-ergy security for our partners. This is a concrete example of our solidarity and transatlantic cooperation. Together, we are seeking ways to ensure a reliable gas supply to Ukraine during the upcoming winter by making full use of Lithuania’s existing infrastructure,” said Minister of Energy Žygimantas Vaiciunas.
The Ambassador of Ukraine to Lithuania, Olha Nikitchenko, noted: “Ukraine is entering another winter under relentless Russian attacks on our critical energy infrastructure. Day after day, Russia strikes purely civilian facilities that provide Ukrainians with heat, light, and the essential services people need simply to live. In such conditions, every reliable route for energy supply becomes a matter of national resilience. Access to the Klaipeda LNG terminal gives Ukraine something extremely important: confidence that even when our facilities are hit, we still have alternative ways to keep our system running. We are deeply grateful to Lithuania, one of the leaders in supporting Ukraine’s energy sector, for taking yet another meaningful step.”
The Ukrainian energy resources trader D.TRADING is a new client of the Klaipeda LNG terminal, and this is the company’s first cargo in Klaipeda. The possibility for the company to import and regasify approximately 1 TWh of natural gas arose after booking the spot regasification capacities allocated by KN Energies.
“US LNG is key for Ukraine’s and Europe’s energy independence. This latest shipment reflects the vision of DTEK to be an energy bridge uniting US producers and a region that phasing out of dependence on Russian gas. From terminals on the Baltic Sea and Mediterranean, we are working with Lithuania and US partners to develop cost-effective routes to get more gas flowing into Ukraine and neighbouring countries,” said DTEK CEO, Maxim Timchenko.
US Ambassador to Lithuania, Kara C. McDonald, added: “The US and Lithuania are firm partners in bringing reliable energy to the region – American natural gas strengthens the national security of the US and our partners.”
KN Energies CEO, Darius Šilenskis, emphasises that the decisions made more than a decade ago during the preparation of the LNG terminal project regarding the terminal’s operating model now make it possible to meet the energy needs of Lithuania, neighbouring countries, and also Ukraine, which is shaken by the aggressor’s war.
“Klaipeda LNG terminal was among the first in the world to apply the open-access principle and a multi-user regime in its operations. The pipeline interconnections with continental Europe that emerged a few years later proved the sense and benefit of the chosen model in every respect: a regional market has been created, and the terminal’s services can be used by those who need them most at a given time. The cooperation established with D.TRADING is also a commitment for us to ensure reliable terminal operations, as in this way we contribute in every possible way to Ukraine’s goal of diversifying energy supplies from reliable sources and overcoming emerging energy security challenges,” concluded D. Šilenskis.