Polskie Górnictwo Naftowe i Gazownictwo (PGNiG) received the first LNG load under the contract with Venture Global LNG. The tanker “Maran Gas Apollonia” with a cargo of over 65 thousand tons of liquefied natural gas arrived at the terminal in Świnoujście.

Iwona Waksmundzka-Olejniczak, the president of PGNiG said that for the first time, the LNG cargo was delivered by a ship chartered by PGNiG, which opens a new stage in the Group’s operations. “Until now, we have only purchased LNG loads that have been transported. Now we also buy gas directly from the condensing terminals. This definitely expands our possibilities of obtaining LNG. Our own fleet gives us access to the market of free-on-board contracts, i.e. those in which the buyer is responsible for the collection and transport of LNG from the producer”, said Iwona Waksmundzka-Olejniczak.

“Maran Gas Apolonia” brought over 65 thousand tonnes of LNG, which translates into over 90 million m3 of natural gas after regasification. The cargo was collected at the Calcasieu Pass condensing terminal in Louisiana, owned by the American company Venture Global LNG.

From next year, PGNiG will start receiving 1.5 million tonnes of LNG (2 billion m3 of natural gas, after regasification) annually from this terminal under a long-term contract. PGNiG also has a long-term contract with Venture Global, which provides for the off-take of 4 million tonnes (approximately 5.3 billion m3 of natural gas, after regasification) from the Plaquemines condensing terminal in Louisiana.

Due to the intensification of LNG imports, the Group decided to charter three vessels this year, two of which will be used in the first half of the year. One of them is “Maran Gas Apollonia”, the owner of which is Maran Gas Maritime – a company belonging to the Angelicoussis Group. Maran Gas Maritime will also be the owner of two of the eight new gas carriers built for PGNiG.

Arkadiusz Słomczyński