Gastrade’s new floating storage regasification unit (FSRU) has arrived to Greece after completing an almost 10-month conversion at the Seatrium shipyard in Singapore.
The FSRU, dubbed Alexandroupolis, sailed away from Singapore on November 26, and has now entered the waters of the Thracian Sea.
In the following days, the FSRU will be anchored through a spread 12-point mooring system, ahead of connection to the high-pressure subsea and onshore gas transmission pipeline.
The pipeline, once operational, will deliver natural gas to the Greek Transmission System (NNGTS) and onwards to the final consumers in Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, North Macedonia, Serbia and further to Moldova and Ukraine to the east, and Hungary and Slovakia to the west.
Following the completion of all testing activities, the terminal is planned to be commercially operational in the first quarter of 2024 and will have a maximum sustainable regasification capacity of 5.5 billion cubic meters a year.
“Today, with the arrival of the first specially converted LNG Carrier of Gastrade, is for all of us an exceptional day.
“A day that signals the realization of the FLNG and paves the way to the commencement of the Alexandroupolis LNG project. A milestone for this borderland city which is set to become an energy hub for the entire Southeastern Europe,” said Elmina Copelouzou, the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Company and Founding Shareholder.
According to the Managing Director of Gastrade, Kostis Sifnaios, the project will boost the local economy and employment, while establishing important pillar of National Security for Thrace, as it forms part of the international and European strategy for diversification and independence of energy sources and transport routes.
