After ten months of construction, the first terminal for landing liquefied natural gas in Germany was opened on Saturday. It is intended to increase security of supply and contribute to replacing the lack of Russian natural gas.
Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz speaks at the opening of the LNG terminal in Wilhelmshaven, with the “Höegh Esperanza” in the background.
Experts murmured with skepticism when the German government announced in spring that the first floating liquefied natural gas terminal would go into operation by the end of the year. How should that work, in Germany of all places, where the planning, approval and implementation of such infrastructure projects usually take years? The social-democratic Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz was all the more proud to officially open the first such terminal on Saturday together with many prominent politicians from the federal government, the state of Lower Saxony and the city of Wilhelmshaven as well as numerous company representatives in Wilhelmshaven on the North Sea.