Germany Aims for Fourth FSRU in Race to Cut Off Russian Gas

Germany wants to build four instead of three floating storage and regasification units (FSRUs) as it strives to replace Russian gas with liquefied natural gas (LNG) that can be sourced from many countries, the economy ministry said on Sunday.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s government is seeking alternatives to gas pipeline deliveries from Russia with the goal of reducing imports to zero in two years.

President Vladimir Putin’s decision to invade Ukraine shattered a belief held broadly over decades in Germany that economic cooperation with Russia would secure peace in Europe.

Scholz has rejected calls to cut Russian gas imports immediately despite criticism that they are helping to finance Russia’s war in Ukraine, saying such a drastic measure would hurt the European Union more that it would hurt Russia. The economy ministry said in a progress report that work on the first FSRU in Wilhelmshaven will start shortly and should be ready to regassify supercooled LNG this year.

Source: Reuters