LNG terminal spreads its wings to level up Poland’s gas diversification and energy security

Poland’s gas transmission system operator Gaz-System has expanded the regasification capacity at a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in Świnoujście. This makes it possible for the European country to step up its energy security game by taking the diversification of its gas supplies to the next level.

According to Gaz-System, this expansion of the President Lech Kaczyński LNG terminal enabled the regasification capacity in Świnoujście to reach 8.3 billion cubic meters (bcm) per year as of January 1, 2025, by increasing the number of submerged combustion vaporizer (SCV) regasifiers, building a second quay and a third tank for process storage of LNG. As a result, the expansion of the terminal implements one of the key goals of Poland’s energy policy, which refers to the diversification of sources and directions of natural gas supply.

Marzena Czarnecka, Poland’s Minister of Industry, commented: “The expansion of the LNG terminal in Świnoujście is yet another proof that Poland is consistently implementing its strategy of diversifying gas supplies and strengthening its energy security. Thanks to this investment, we are becoming even more independent, which is of key importance in the dynamically changing geopolitical situation.

“The LNG Terminal in Świnoujście, as a strategic element of the country’s energy infrastructure, opens up access to gas markets and guarantees flexible supplies. I would like to thank everyone involved in the implementation of this project for their efforts and determination in difficult conditions.”

Therefore, the country can import gas from various parts of the world in liquefied form and then, after regasification, send it through gas pipelines within and beyond its borders. The capacity of the LNG terminal in Świnoujście as an entry point to the national transmission system was 5 billion cubic meters per year in 2015. The regasification capacity now amounts to 8.3 billion cubic meters, corresponding to almost 50% of the annual demand for gas from domestic customers. 

Wojciech Wrochna, Government Plenipotentiary for Strategic Energy Infrastructure, emphasized: “The expansion of the LNG terminal in Świnoujście is the result of the long-term strategy of the Polish state, the aim of which is to build a strong, sustainable and flexible energy infrastructure, ensuring the supply of natural gas to Poland from many alternative sources and directions.

“We have built strong foundations for the energy security of the Polish economy, which is ready for the challenges of the future, ready to adapt to global changes in the energy industry and the growing role of renewable energy sources.”

Furthermore, Gaz-System explained that the two-stage facility expansion program entailed increasing the operating parameters of the existing regasification installation in the first stage, including installing two more SCV regasifiers and a measurement line, enabling the terminal to provide regasification services with a capacity of 6.2 billion cubic meters from January 2022. 

The second stage saw the construction of a third tank and a second quay for unloading, loading, and bunkering LNG, along with a transmission viaduct connecting the quay installations with the new tank to improve the terminal’s flexibility and increase operational capabilities like receiving larger volumes of LNG gas supplies and bunkering, refueling ships with LNG directly at the quay.

Sławomir Hinc, President of Gaz-System, emphasized: “The LNG terminal in Świnoujście, the Polish gas window to the world, is an important element of the real diversification of gas supply sources to Poland. Today, the facility has gained greater regasification capacity and new functionalities. We are more energy secure and have access to competitive natural gas markets around the world.

“The investment was carried out in difficult times of the pandemic and war abroad, so I would like to thank the employees of Gaz-System and the institutions and offices that participated in its implementation and led to a happy ending.”

The Szczecin and Świnoujście Seaports Authority was the investor in the construction of the hydrotechnical part of the quay, which is the ship berth, the marine structure of the transmission viaduct, and the mooring infrastructure.

The expansion of the Polish LNG terminal project is on the European list of projects of common interest, and the investment related to the expansion is co-financed from the European Regional Development Fund under the Operational Programme Infrastructure and Environment 2014-2020.

Recently, Gaz-System confirmed a permit for the offshore portion and infrastructure needed for a floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) and the approximately three-kilometer-long offshore pipeline connecting the terminal with the onshore system.

This FLNG unit will be permanently moored to the jetty, with commissioning scheduled to start in late 2027 or early 2028.