The Polish energy company Orlen Group has taken delivery of two new liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers, built at the Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries shipyard in Mokpo, South Korea.
During a christening ceremony, the vessels were named »Józef Piłsudski« and »Ignacy Jan Paderewski«.
“We are building Poland’s energy security and independence. We have adopted and are implementing a supply diversification strategy that leverages our own LNG fleet. By next year, it will grow to as many as eight vessels. Meanwhile, our expanding portfolio of long-term contracts with U.S. suppliers strengthens our market position and guarantees the stability of deliveries. As a result, we can provide Polish customers with reliable sources of gas while also supplying neighbouring markets, including Ukraine, thereby reinforcing energy security across the region,” said Ireneusz Fąfara, President of the Management Board of Orlen.
The share of seaborne liquefied natural gas in Poland’s total gas imports has been steadily increasing. In 2024, LNG accounted for nearly half of all gas brought into the country, with the full volume of 70.22 TWh imported by the Orlen Group. The new LNG carriers will provide the company with greater flexibility in securing deliveries in the coming years.
The newbuilds are powered by dual-fuel engines
The vessels are chartered for a period of 10 years, with an option to extend. Each can carry approximately 70,000 tonnes of LNG – equivalent to around 100 million cubic metres of natural gas in its gaseous state, or roughly the weekly consumption of all Polish households. Their size and specifications ensure maximum versatility, allowing for loading and unloading at nearly all LNG terminals worldwide.
The construction of the vessels incorporated the most advanced technical solutions aimed at maximising operational efficiency. These include integrated power management systems and onboard reliquefaction technology, which enables the recovery of boil-off gas that naturally evaporates during transport. Additionally, the vessels’ dual-fuel engines can operate on both marine diesel and natural gas, ensuring compliance with current and future environmental standards for maritime transport.
In line with the Orlen 2035 strategy, natural gas will continue to serve as a key transitional fuel in Poland’s and the region’s energy transition. Consumption is expected to increase steadily, reaching 27 billion cubic metres within the next decade. To meet this growing demand, the Group is executing an ambitious investment programme, one of whose core components is the secure supply of LNG.
Orlen reserved capacities in Klaipėda
Most LNG cargoes are received at the Świnoujście terminal. To date, 347 deliveries have been completed, totalling 27 million tonnes of LNG. The largest number of shipments originated from Qatar (154) and the United States (167). Other sources included Norway (16), Nigeria (3), Trinidad and Tobago (4), Egypt (2), and Equatorial Guinea (1). In the first quarter of this year, the company plans to receive 20 deliveries at the terminal – 9 more than during the same period last year.
Orlen also utilises capacity reserved at the FSRU terminal in Klaipėda, Lithuania, where it has so far received 11 cargoes totalling nearly 740,000 tonnes of LNG. After regasification, the gas is transported to Poland via the Poland–Lithuania interconnector. A portion of the fuel is also supplied to Baltic markets.
The Group is further expanding its domestic LNG import capabilities. Orlen has reserved the full regasification capacity – 6.1 bcm – of the floating LNG terminal currently under construction in the Bay of Gdańsk. This infrastructure expansion will enable the Group to increase the number of LNG cargoes received annually by as many as 58 shipments.
