Her Majesty Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands officially opens first Dutch Liquefied Natural Gas Import Terminal
23 September 2011
Her Majesty Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands officially opens first Dutch Liquefied Natural Gas Import Terminal
- Her Majesty Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands officially opens Gate terminal
- Independent LNG terminal important factor in gas distribution in Europe
- Terminal dovetails with Dutch and European energy policy of diversification
- Gate terminal, a joint Gasunie and Vopak initiative, strengthens Netherlands’ position as gas roundabout for Northwest Europe
Queen Beatrix has officially opened Gate terminal this afternoon. Gate (Gas Access To Europe) terminal is located on the Maasvlakte in Rotterdam and is the first import terminal for liquefied natural gas (LNG) in the Netherlands. It has been developed by N.V. Nederlandse Gasunie and Royal Vopak. Hundreds of foreign dignitaries, national and international guests amongst others attended the official opening ceremony.
The terminal will serve as an independent distribution point for European energy companies to address the rising demand for and declining production of natural gas in northwestern Europe. As an independent import terminal for LNG, Gate terminal will be an important factor for the European receipt of gas from other overseas territories. The terminal will both increase the security ofsupplies and enable new players to enter the European gas market.
Gate terminal has already began to receive LNG by ship, which is subsequently regasified and prepared for distribution to the Dutch gas transport network and further transport to northwestern European markets. With an initial throughput capacity of 12 billion cubic meters per annum (equals 25% of annual Dutch gas consumption), the terminal consists of three storage tanks with a total storage capacity of 540,000 cubic meters, two jetties and a process area where the LNG is being regasified. In the future, the terminal’s throughput capacity can be increased to 16 billion cubic meters per annum by building a fourth tank. Gate terminal dovetails with Dutch and European energy policies, built on the pillars of strategic diversification of gas supplies, sustainability, safety and environmental awareness.
Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation, Maxime Verhagen:
“Gate terminal marks a crucial next step in the development of the Netherlands as the gas hub of Northwest Europe. Over the last decade, gas has changed from a local energy source into a global commodity. More and more countries are linking into a worldwide gas web – a web in which the Netherlands as home to Gate terminal, the Gas Access To Europe, can play a pivotal rol.”
Paul van Gelder, Chairman of the Executive Board of Gasunie and Eelco Hoekstra, Chairman of the Executive Board of Vopak, jointly commented:
“Gate terminal fits perfectly with the aims of the Dutch gas roundabout: LNG can be transported from all over the world, providing additional sources of supply for Northwest Europe. This diversification improves not only the security of supply, but also liquidity in the market, a factor which is becoming increasingly important in the European gas market. This first LNG terminal in the Netherlands was initiated by Gasunie and Vopak because we saw the perfect opportunity to offer new services to our customers. Our shared vision has certainly been one of the success factors of the project.”
Profile N.V. Nederlandse Gasunie (Gasunie)
Gasunie is a gas infrastructure and transport company with an authoritative position in Europe. Its responsibilities include the management and development of the national gas transmission network and the provision of gas transport and infrastructure services. It meets the wishes of customers who want their natural gas to be transported safely and sustainably at a competitive price. In doing so it also serves the public interest.
For more information:
N.V. Nederlandse Gasunie
Communication
Chris Glerum
T: +31 50 521 91 11
E-mail: press@gasunie.nl
Website: www.gasunie.nl
Profile Vopak
Royal Vopak is the world’s largest independent tank storage service provider, specializing in the storage and handling of bulk liquid chemicals, gasses and oil products. Vopak operates 82 terminals (including Gate terminal) in 31 countries with a storage capacity of 26.6 million cubic meters (cbm). Through the previously announced projects under construction Vopak will add 6.7 million cbm to its total storage capacity for bulk liquids on a global scale in the coming years, leading to a total storage capacity of more than 33 million cbm in 2014. The terminals are strategically located for users along the major shipping routes. The majority of its customers are companies operating in the chemical and oil industries, for which Vopak stores a large variety of products destined for a wide range of industries.
For more information
Royal Vopak
Corporate communication & Investor Relations
Arno Schikker
Telephone: +31 10 400 2777
E-mail: corporate.communication@vopak.com
Website: www.vopak.com
Profile Gate terminal B.V.
In 2005, N.V. Nederlandse Gasunie and Royal Vopak decided to jointly develop Gate terminal (Gas Access To Europe), the first independent LNG import terminal in the Netherlands and are the main shareholders of Gate terminal. The imported LNG will be unloaded, stored and regasified at the terminal before distribution through the gas transmission network for the European markets. The terminal will have an initial annual throughput capacity of 12 billion cubic meters per year (bcma) and can be increased to 16 billion cubic meters per year in the future by building a fourth tank.
Five European energy companies (DONG Energy from Denmark, EconGas from Austria, E.ON Ruhrgas from Germany, RWE Supply & Trading from Switzerland and Eneco from the Netherlands) have signed long term throughput agreements with Gate.
For more information:
Gate terminal B.V.
Peter Bassa
T: + 31 181 799 000
M: + 31 6 22 40 73 82
E-mail: peter.bassa@gate.nl
Website: www.gateterminal.com