Business GNL

2022: an exceptional year for Dunkerque LNG

11/04/23

With growing business activity, all available capacity sold, and the ramp-up of new services such as truck loading, 2022 turned out to be an exceptional year for Dunkerque LNG. Over the months, the LNG terminal has demonstrated its effectiveness and reliability against a background of change. Analysis by Jessica Tintorri, Sales Manager.

"In 2022, the Dunkerque LNG terminal achieved what amounted to triple the activity of its best year (2021). In response to Europe's energy needs resulting from the war between Russia and Ukraine, the Dunkerque LNG terminal has become an LNG gateway, prompting market support for French terminals. The terminal has access to the Belgian network. This has made it one of the leading entry points for LNG into Europe. The Dunkerque LNG terminal also coordinated with its Zeebrugge counterpart, in Belgium, during maintenance work at the latter facility (and vice versa) to maintain the European supply of LNG during this period of high demand while complying with maintenance requirements to guarantee the safety of the installations.

2022 is also characterised by the ramping-up of the "truck loading" activity, which reached its full potential in the middle and end of the year with more than 1,500 trucks loaded. The terminal is currently the only one to offer a self-loading activity whereby pre-trained and authorised drivers reload their trucks themselves – a very welcome service. 

Another factor in making 2022 an exceptional year for the Dunkerque terminal has been the sale of its entire capacity (13 bcm), for the first time since the start of commercial operations at the terminal. The call for expressions of interest has proven itself to be successful, with German firm Securing Energy for Europe (SEFE) joining the terminal’s two historic clients in early 2023.

It is important to note that as a result of the ramp-up of the terminal, the teams – both commercial and on-site operations – have been extremely busy. They have been able to demonstrate – and continue to demonstrate on a daily basis – not only the considerable expertise they possess in managing the installation, but also their desire to do the best possible job and keep finding new ways to satisfy their customers.

And the forecasts for 2023 are extremely promising. The Dunkerque LNG terminal has become a major European player with a reputation for reliability and dynamism in response to the problems of today and tomorrow."

Article présenté sur la lettre d'information : Avril 2023