EemsEnergyTerminal

EemsEnergyTerminal is a liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal located in the Eemshaven port area in Groningen, the Netherlands. It was developed as a joint venture between Royal Vopak, the Dutch tank storage company, and Gasunie, the Dutch state-owned gas infrastructure group, to provide an additional route for LNG imports into the Netherlands and wider Northwest Europe following the 2022 energy crisis. The terminal uses floating storage and regasification units (FSRUs) — specialised ships that regasify LNG onboard and send natural gas into the onshore grid — rather than a permanent land-based regasification plant. This approach allowed the terminal to be commissioned quickly, with the first FSRU arriving in 2022 and commercial operations beginning shortly afterwards. The terminal is located at the Eemshaven, a deep-water port in the north of the Netherlands with existing industrial and energy infrastructure. Its strategic position near the German border and the North Sea makes it a key entry point for LNG cargoes from global suppliers, including the United States, Qatar and other producers. Gas delivered through the terminal is fed into the Dutch national gas transmission network operated by Gasunie, helping to diversify supply away from pipeline gas from Russia. EemsEnergyTerminal is operated as a commercial joint venture. Vopak and Gasunie each hold a stake, combining Vopak's terminal and storage expertise with Gasunie's gas infrastructure and network knowledge. The terminal has two FSRUs, the 'Golar Igloo' and the 'Eemshaven LNG' (also known as the 'Energos Igloo' or similar), providing substantial regasification capacity. The facility has been used to import significant volumes of LNG, and by March 2026 it had received its 200th LNG tanker, a notable operational milestone. Looking ahead, the partners have been working on extending the terminal's operations beyond 2027. In June 2026, EemsEnergyTerminal announced a conditional investment decision for the extension, and in July 2026 a substantial portion of the available capacity was booked for the extension period. This indicates continued demand for LNG import capacity in the region and the terminal's role in European energy security. The terminal is not a listed company itself; it is a private joint venture, although Vopak is publicly listed and Gasunie is state-owned.

EemsEnergyTerminal was established as a joint venture between Royal Vopak and Gasunie in response to the European energy crisis that followed Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The Netherlands, like many European countries, sought to reduce its dependence on Russian pipeline gas and increase imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from alternative suppliers. The Eemshaven, a deep-water port in Groningen with existing industrial infrastructure, was selected as the site for a new LNG import terminal. Rather than building a permanent onshore regasification plant, which would take years, the partners opted for a faster solution using floating storage and regasification units (FSRUs). These specialised vessels can regasify LNG onboard and inject natural gas directly into the onshore grid. The first FSRU arrived at Eemshaven in 2022, and the terminal began commercial operations shortly thereafter. The use of FSRUs allowed the terminal to be commissioned within months rather than years, providing timely additional import capacity for the winter of 2022/2023. The terminal is operated by EemsEnergyTerminal B.V., with Vopak and Gasunie as shareholders. Vopak brought its expertise in tank storage and terminal operations, while Gasunie contributed its knowledge of gas transmission and infrastructure. The terminal has two FSRUs, providing significant regasification capacity. Gas delivered through the terminal is fed into the Dutch national gas transmission network, which is operated by Gasunie, and can also serve markets in Germany and other neighbouring countries. Over the following years, the terminal played a role in European energy security, receiving LNG cargoes from a variety of global suppliers. By March 2026, the terminal had received its 200th LNG tanker, a notable operational milestone. In June 2026, EemsEnergyTerminal announced a conditional investment decision to extend the terminal's operations beyond 2027. The following month, in July 2026, a substantial portion of the available capacity for the extension period was booked, indicating continued market demand for the terminal's services. The extension is subject to final investment decision and regulatory approvals.

• EemsEnergyTerminal joint venture established; first FSRU arrives at Eemshaven and commercial operations begin.

• 200th LNG tanker arrives at EemsEnergyTerminal.

• Conditional investment decision taken for extension of the terminal after 2027.

• Substantial part of available capacity booked for the extension of EemsEnergyTerminal.

Strategic LNG import hub for the Netherlands and Northwest Europe, providing flexible regasification capacity via FSRUs.

• LNG regasification and send-out

  The terminal regasifies LNG onboard FSRUs and delivers natural gas into the Dutch national grid.

1. 1EemsEnergyTerminal official websiteeemsenergyterminal.com
2. 2EemsEnergyTerminal official website (Dutch)eemsenergyterminal.nl