Dunkirk to Receive 2nd Cargo
Dunkerque LNG, the newly-opened French terminal, is to receive its second commissioning cargo later this week, according to the Port of Dunkirk.
Among expected vessel arrivals, the port's website indicates that Galea will dock at Dunkirk on September 9, when it arrives from the Peru LNG home port of Pampa Melchorita. Galea is owned by Shell which contractually lifts most cargoes exported from the 4.45mn metric ton/yr Peru LNG facility.
In early August, Dunkerque LNG postponed the arrival of its second cargo, which had been planned to arrive August 7, until the first half of September. This followed an incident on July 25-26 during which defective sensors meant that LNG was sent to the flare, rather than sent out into France’s national GRTgaz network. Normal sendout to the GRTgaz grid resumed on July 29.
The Madrid Spirit bearing Nigerian LNG berthed at Dunkirk on July 8. Photo credit (c) Dunkerque LNG
The terminal’s first commissioning cargo arrived in Dunkirk on July 8 from Nigeria aboard Madrid Spirit. Sendout into the GRTgaz grid began on July 20.
Peruvian regulator Perupetro indicates that Galea left Peru on August 22, bound for France. Petroperu also shows that two shipments from Peru LNG loaded in late August are now headed for China and Mexico, while a cargo loaded on September 4 there onto the Madrid Spirit is now bound for Spain. The latter is Peru LNG's 350th export cargo since starting up in 2010. Most Peru LNG cargoes shipped this year have gone to Mexico.
The Dunkerque LNG terminal is owned and operated by Dunkerque LNG, 65%-owned by French power giant EDF, 25% by Belgian gas grid Fluxys and 10% by Total. The company is responsible for procuring its commissioning cargoes. Once fully commissioned, which is expected this autumn, the 13bn m3/yr (9.5mn mt/yr) terminal will be operated by Gaz Opale, which is 51%-owned by Dunkerque LNG and 49% by Fluxys.
Mark Smedley