Zeebrugge LNG terminal still in high demand

2010-01-07

The especially high utilization rate of the terminal for liquefied natural gas (LNG) in 2009 has contributed to the increased shipping traffic at the port of Zeebrugge. Activity levels continue to be high into early 2010 and just today, for the first time a large Q-Flex type LNG vessel unloaded its entire cargo at the LNG terminal.

Fluxys LNG can receive up to 110 LNG ships per year at the Zeebrugge LNG terminal. LNG cargoes are unloaded at the terminal and kept in cycling storage for several days, then the LNG is regasified and injected into the grid depending on demand from terminal users.

The terminal was especially busy in 2009: a total of 82 LNG vessels docked at Zeebrugge compared with 43 in 2008. Of those 82 tankers, 78 unloaded their cargoes and 4 used the service to load LNG. The total volume of LNG unloaded at the terminal last year was the equivalent of a third of Belgium's natural gas consumption in 2009.

The LNG terminal has been able to receive Q-Flex ships since summer 2008, after dredging work was completed by the Port Authority (MBZ). These Q-Flex ships can transport 50% more LNG than an average LNG vessel and hold enough LNG to meet the natural gas heating needs of 62,500 families in Belgium for a year. Some 24 Q-Flex tankers have already docked at the Zeebrugge LNG terminal to date, but none of these has unloaded an entire cargo. The Al Utouriya, arriving from Qatar this Thursday, will be the very first Q-Flex ship to unload a full cargo of LNG at the Zeebrugge terminal.



Press contact
Bérénice Crabs
Tel.: +32 2 282 72 30
Fax: +32 2 282 79 43
E-mail: berenice.crabs@fluxys.com



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