Stade LNG Terminal Launch Pushes Germany's Gas Supply Security Amid Global Price Tensions

The Stade LNG Terminal in Germany is preparing for its launch, with a tighter timeline of early November for effective commercial operation. The terminal, operated by Deutsche Energy Terminal GmbH (DET), will become the fourth floating LNG terminal to receive liquefied natural gas by sea in Germany since 2022.

The Energos Force, an FSRU vessel with a storage capacity of 174,000 cubic meters and regasification capacity of up to 750 million standard cubic feet per day (MMSCFD), has returned from its sub-charter in Egypt and Jordan. The vessel was deployed at the Aqaba terminal as part of an energy cooperation agreement between Egypt and Jordan.

Germany's underground storage filling remains behind last year's pace, with a national fill rate of 51.64% at the end of August, compared to roughly 69% a year earlier at the same point. The trade association representing underground storage operators has presented an action plan combining several measures to reduce costs and generate additional revenue for storage operators.

The global gas market remains marked by price tensions, amid sustained demand for industrial and energy supply. Germany's end-of-August storage fill level outlines the contours of a winter under close watch by the country's energy authorities.