Germany’s new Wilhelmshaven LNG import terminal received its first full cargo from Calcasieu Pass, Louisiana, aboard the Maria Energy LNG ship.

Maria Energy, owned by Tsakos Energy Navigation, was originally loaded on Dec. 19 in Calcasieu Pass, Venture Global Calcasieu Pass LLC announced Jan. 3 in a press release.

Maria Energy is fully loaded with approximately 170,000 cu. m of LNG (97,147,000 cu. m of gas), enough to supply around 50,000 German households with energy for one year, Venture Global said.

Europe remains keen on U.S. LNG imports amid lower gas flows from Russia, which has been heavily sanctioned for its military invasion of Ukraine in early 2022. The war has pushed up the cost worldwide for energy, stoking inflation.

“As strategic partners, we look forward to providing long-term security of energy supply to our allies through the continued delivery of clean and reliable U.S. LNG,” Venture Global CEO Mike Sabel said. 

Calcasieu Pass, Venture Global's first liquefaction facility, started producing LNG in January 2022, and the company continues with development of an additional 60 million tonnes per annum of production capacity in Louisiana.

The Wilhelmshaven LNG import terminal

The Wilhelmshaven LNG terminal – operated by Düsseldorf-based Uniper, which purchased the Maria Energy cargo – was initially opened on Dec. 17. Via the floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) Höegh Esperanza, about 5 Bcm/y of gas can reach Germany, Venture Global said.

The initial cargo is part of the commissioning process at the Wilhelmshaven import terminal. Commercial operations of the terminal are slated to commence mid-January, Venture Global said.

“The use of LNG as a reliable energy source is crucial for the Security of Supply for Germany and Europe,” Uniper chief commercial officer Niek den Hollander said in the release. “We are committed to contribute our part by bringing more LNG to the European market and especially Germany via the Wilhelmshaven and Brunsbüttel Regas Terminals.”

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Uniper is seeking “independence from individual energy sources and a sustainable energy future,” the company announced in a separate statement on its website. Achievement of its goals will assist Germany in diversifying its energy imports.