Germany earmarks 135 million euros for LNG tank vessels
Clean Energy Wire / NDR
The German parliament's budget committee has set aside 135 million euros for supporting the development of a liquid natural gas (LNG) tank vessel infrastructure. "This is how we strengthen shipping as a climate-friendly transport and freight option," said Andreas Mattfeldt of the conservative CDU/CSU alliance. LNG would make "a significant contribution to the energy mix of the future," Mattfeldt said, adding that liquefied gas "is a technology that harmonises with our climate targets." At the same time, the support payments would help to strengthen the maritime economy during the coronavirus crisis and create "secure and competitive jobs," the MP said.
An envisaged LNG shipping terminal project at the port of Wilhelsmhaven on the German North Sea coast was dealt a heavy blow in early November, when operator Uniper announced the project would be reviewed due to a lack of market interest, according to public broadcaster NDR.
There are no LNG terminals in Germany yet and plans to set up domestic import infrastructure are contentious and have become a hotly debated topic between Germany and the US, which is trying to expand its own liquefied gas exports to Europe. In 2018, German economy minister Peter Altmaier said Germany would speed up the process to build its first LNG import terminal as “a gesture to our American friends,” after U.S. President Donald Trump criticised Germany for its dependence on Russian gas and the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.
