Lithuanian SC Klaipedos Nafta, operator of the first full scale liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in the Baltic sea region, and Bomin Linde LNG, Germany-based provider of LNG as marine fuel, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). In close cooperation both companies aim to jointly develop the LNG fuel market including the necessary infrastructure in Baltic Sea.
As of 1st January 2015, Klaipedos Nafta has successfully started commercial operations of its floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) named “Independence”, providing LNG regasification and reloading services on a third-party-access basis. In the next step, the company intends to construct an on-shore small-scale LNG reloading station in the port of Klaipeda. With this station Klaipedos Nafta will be able to offer small scale LNG services, e.g. loading services for trucks, serving the increasing demand for LNG in the Baltic States and Poland.
Bomin Linde LNG intends to become the user of the Klaipeda LNG terminal and to book regulated LNG reloading capacities in order to use the facility as the regional break-bulking hub for the Baltic Sea. Bomin Linde LNG and Klaipedos Nafta also agreed to jointly explore the possibilities to develop a bunkering vessel. Such vessel would provide LNG bunkering services in the region, feed the LNG reloading station in Klaipeda, Bomin Linde’s LNG bunkering terminals, e.g. the planned terminal in Hamburg, and other bunkering terminals in the Baltic Sea.
Mantas Bartuška, the General Manager of Klaipedos Nafta says: “Today we are very glad that we have signed the MoU with one of the main LNG market players in the LNG world. This MoU shows that the market leaders are starting to work on new LNG business cases in the Baltic Sea which are enabled by the successful commissioning of the Klaipeda LNG terminal in the last months of 2014. Also the fact that Klaipedos Nafta has secured EU funding for the on-shore LNG infrastructure development work shows that the Company is on the right new track and in line with the long-term strategy of the EU planning new services”.
Bomin Linde‘s Managing Director Mahinde Abeynaike explains: “We consider this partnership to be an important milestone in the development of an efficient supply of LNG to ports at the Baltic Sea “. His colleague, director Ruben Benders adds: ”Jointly with our partner Klaipedos Nafta, we will build a unique LNG supply chain that is needed to take the regional LNG markets to the next level“.
The State owns 72,32 percent of SC Klaipedos Nafta.
Bomin Linde LNG GmbH & Co. KG
Located in Hamburg, Germany, Bomin Linde LNG GmbH & Co. KG is a leading provider of liquefied natural gas (LNG) as marine fuel. As a joint venture of Linde and Mabanaft, which is a subsidiary of Marquard & Bahls, Bomin Linde LNG has access to a broad range of expertise in cryogenic engineering, logistics and fuel supply.
The strategy of Bomin Linde LNG is to cover the complete LNG value chain – from sourcing and transport through storage and distribution to refuelling ships with LNG in strategically important ports.
