Germany clamps down: Ports refuse Russian LNG ships
Germany has banned its ports from accepting ships carrying Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG), following a decision by the German Ministry for Economic Affairs. This ban is implemented until further notice, as reported by the "Financial Times," citing a letter from the ministry. The move aims to protect state interests.
The newspaper revealed that the German ministry issued the order on 6th November after it emerged that a ship carrying Russian LNG was en route to the port in Brunsbuettel, with an expected arrival on Sunday. The directive intended to safeguard state concerns and was communicated to the state-owned company Deutsche Energy Terminal (DET).
According to the letter accessed by "FT" journalists, Germany has not directly imported LNG from Russia since February 2022, and the instructions given to DET ensure this continues.
Nonetheless, the German state-owned gas company Sefe, which holds a long-term contract to import gas from Russia's Yamal Peninsula, has been redirecting virtually all imports to France due to anti-Russian sanctions and restrictions. From France, the gas is regasified and transported to Germany via the European pipeline system.
The United Kingdom and the United States have banned imports of LNG from Russia, yet Europe has not implemented such a ban. Within the European Union, LNG from Russia accounts for 20 per cent of supply, according to the newspaper, which cites data from the analytics company Kpler. Most Russian LNG is delivered to France, Spain, and Belgium. These nations explain that they cannot sever purchasing contracts until the EU enforces a complete ban on this resource.
Europe may opt for LNG from the USA
Several EU member states call on the European Commission to establish regulations for reporting LNG imports from Russia. These countries contend that the importation of liquefied gas to the EU is on the rise, and there is little clarity on which suppliers are responsible.
Last week, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, stated that the Union might consider substituting Russian LNG imports with those from the USA. "FT" mentioned that the Union could employ this as leverage in negotiations with the prospective administration of Donald Trump.
When Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, it ceased supplying natural gas via pipelines to Europe, compelling Germany, the largest European importer of this resource, to discover alternative supply sources. Berlin resolved to build LNG port terminals to enable sea importation of this resource.
The Financial Times reports that data from maritime tracking sites do not suggest that installations in Brunsbuettel have received any ships yet. Three vessels departed from the Russian Yamal recently and are heading towards Europe.
