The Dutch energy company VTTI plans to build a new, 5 bcm/year floating LNG facility in the Netherlands in order to provide additional storage and import capacity to the country. The facility would accommodate a floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU), which would be connected to one of the largest industrial clusters in the Netherlands and to the Dutch and European gas grid. VTTI is currently considering two potential sites in the southern Dutch province of Zeeland and aims to have the new installation operational by 2024.
Amid difficulties in gas supply linked to the situation in Ukraine, the Netherlands has recently ramped up its LNG projects. Indeed, in April and May 2022, the Dutch state-owned gas transmission system operator (TSO) Gasunie signed contracts for the lease of two 4 bcm/year FSRUs (from the US’ New Fortress Energy and Belgium’s Exmar) to be installed at the Eemshaven LNG terminal (northern Netherlands). In addition, the existing 9.2 bcm/year Gate terminal at Maasvlakte (Rotterdam) is also expected to undergo optimisation to enable more LNG to be imported.