Dutch terminal’s open season checking the pulse of LNG import demand after 2027

The Netherlands-based EemsEnergy Terminal, a subsidiary of Royal Vopak, a Dutch tank storage company, and Gasunie, a compatriot energy network operator, has taken steps to determine whether it should remain in business after 2027 or close its doors by launching an open season for the storage and regasification of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in Eemshaven after 2027.

The LNG terminal, which was developed in 2022 to boost energy security in the Netherlands and northwest Europe following the start of the Ukraine crisis, is inviting market parties to formulate a non-binding expression of interest (EOI), as part of a new phase in determining whether the floating LNG (FLNG) terminal at the port of Eemshaven will be kept in operation for a longer period.

Therefore, the open season was launched to gauge the interest of market parties in the import of liquefied natural gas in the near future, as such collaboration is seen as essential for keeping the terminal in business after 2027. While the final decision on the EemsEnergy Terminal is expected at the end of 2025, the terminal was originally planned to run up to the end of 2027. New customer contracts could come into effect at the end of 2027.

This is in line with the announcement made in the summer of 2024 by Gasunie and Vopak, each holding a 50% stake in the EemsEnergy Terminal, together with the Dutch Ministry of Climate Policy and Green Growth (formerly the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy), about looking into the possibility of keeping the terminal in operation longer.

Aside from extending the EemsEnergy Terminal, the partners are also making plans for further hydrogen development at the Eemshaven port and exploring options for CO2 infrastructure in line with the transition to a more sustainable energy system. To this end, Gasunie and Vopak are jointly investigating the possibilities of building a hydrogen import terminal and developing a CO2 transport hub at Eemshaven.

Following the energy crisis from 2022 and Europe’s quest to wean itself off Russian gas, the energy security landscape in the Netherlands and surrounding countries has changed considerably in recent years. While energy-saving measures and increased energy efficiency have led to a gradual decrease in gas consumption, gas still plays an important role in European society.

This fossil fuel is often used to generate electricity, especially to cover periods with little sun and wind even in the most advanced energy systems, as well as for heating homes and the heat used by industry. As a result, the Netherlands and other European countries are expected to remain largely dependent on gas imports in the coming years.

With this at the forefront, EemsEnergy Terminal points out that having sufficient LNG import capacity, extracting gas in the Netherlands, and ensuring enough pipeline gas supply, including through cross-border network interconnections, is important for maintaining energy security.