The Belgian-flagged floating liquefied gas terminal “Excelsior” is expected to arrive at the new Wilhelmshaven-2 terminal in the next few days.
The 277 m long vessel, which was built in 2005 and is operated by Excelerate Energy, is chartered by Deutsche Energy Terminal GmbH (DET) under a federal mandate.
DET, a fully state-owned company, is responsible for the management of LNG infrastructure projects on behalf of the German government. “DET provides the necessary infrastructure so that private companies can use the terminals to import liquefied natural gas and contribute to security of supply,” the company explained. The Wilhelmshaven-2 terminal is the fourth location in the DET portfolio alongside the sites in Brunsbüttel, Stade and Lubmin.
The second LNG jetty for a further floating regasification terminal (“Floating Storage and Regasification Unit”, FSRU) with an annual capacity of 4.5 billionm3 and a time limit of five years was built directly on the Jade fairway between the HES Wilhelmshaven jetty and the Vynova Pier. Among other things, ten steel dolphins, each 70 m long, 4.5 m in diameter and weighing 500 tons, were driven into the Jade ground as jetties.
“Excelsior” was last used in Argentina
DET will operate the “Excelsior” LNG terminal with a capacity of 138,000 m3 in Wilhelmshaven. KN Energies, a state-owned Lithuanian LNG and terminal operator, will take over the technical operations and maintenance of the facilities as the service provider for “Operations and Maintenance” after commissioning. KN Energies will also be responsible for commercial management, including the coordination of the LNG tankers. The shipping company Excelerate Energy will carry out the regasification on board the “Excelsior”. “We ensure the provision of high-quality services and smooth operation,” explained KN Energies, which has experience from operating the LNG terminal in Klaipėda and has expanded its scope of activities to Germany through cooperation with DET and its partners.
Before the transfer to Germany, which had been planned for some time, the “Excelsior” was still in operation for the Argentinian government as part of a seasonal charter. After completing these tasks, the ship was taken to the Navantia shipyard in El Ferrol, Spain, last year, where it underwent adaptation work for long-term deployment in German waters. This reportedly involved technical modifications to enable year-round operation in colder climates and compatibility with German infrastructure.
The terminal infrastructure in Wilhelmshaven-2 was developed by Tree Energy Solutions (TES) and Gasunie in collaboration with DET. TES said the terminal is designed to be flexible and future-proof and is considering converting it to process hydrogen molecules.
“Höegh Esperanza” at Wilhelmshaven-1
With the FSRU “Excelsior”, the terminal will support LNG imports and thus join the FSRU “Höegh Esperanza”, which has been in operation at the neighboring Wilhelmshaven-1 terminal since the beginning of 2022 to meet energy security needs.
The “Excelsior” does not require the controversial cleaning of the pipelines with chlorine and biocides. This is because, unlike the regasification ship “Höegh Esperanza”, the second system does not use chlorine or biocides to clean the pipelines of algae or mussels, but rather ultrasound technology. Lower Saxony’s Environment Minister Christian Meyer (Greens) had agreed this with the operator TES, and the federal government covered the additional costs of converting to the new technology, according to the state environment ministry. The use of chlorine on the “Höegh Esperanza” had been repeatedly criticized by environmental associations in the past.
The Lower Saxony State Agency for Water Management, Coastal Defence and Nature Conservation had granted permission under water law to discharge wastewater from the regasification ship into the Inner Jade. This fulfills an essential prerequisite for the commissioning of the second FSRU in Wilhelmshaven.
“After a comprehensive and thorough examination of the permit application and the five objections and comments on various topics submitted by public bodies, nature conservation and environmental associations and private individuals, the experts came to the conclusion that the water uses applied for meet the legal requirements and that the permit could be granted,” said the Ministry of the Environment.
In the meantime, LNG Terminal Wilhelmshaven GmbH (LTeW) has been carrying out scheduled maintenance work on the superstructure on the jetty of the jetty specially built for the LNG terminal WHV 01 at the Voslapper Groden transshipment facility on behalf of DET since April 23. At the same time, the port company Niedersachsen Ports is carrying out dredging work in the area of the FSRU “Höegh Esperanza” berth. The focus is on ensuring the required water depth in the berthing area of the regasification vessel. This regular work is necessary in order to ensure the minimum depths under the ship required by law. In preparation for the work, the “Höegh Esperanza” temporarily left its berth on the Jade on April 22 and is lying in the roadstead in the German Bight. Once the work has been completed, the ship will return to its regular berth. According to DET, the exact time of return will be announced shortly. (CE)
