Baltic states step up LNG import push

Finnish and Latvian projects progress as the region aims to accelerate move away from Russian gas

Finnish transmission system operator Gasgrid Finland has signed a ten-year contract with US firm Excelerate Energy to charter a floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU), which may initially be located across the Gulf of Finland in Estonia. And another floating import project in Latvia has attracted a new partner as the Baltic region attempts a pivot away from dependence on Russian pipelines. Under the Finnish deal, Excelerate’s Exemplar vessel—with LNG storage capacity of 150,900m³ and more than 5bn m³/yr of throughput capacity—will provide regasification services in southern Finland. But the FSRU may be moored in an Estonian port this winter if required work has yet to be completed i