FSRU Independence, an LNG carrier that arrived in Klaipėda 10 years ago and secured Lithuania’s ability to import liquefied natural gas, will be handed over to Lithuania on December 6. On the same day, KN Energies will buy the vessel from its owner, Norway’s Hoegh LNG, and the latter’s subsidiary will remain its operator in Lithuania for up to 10 years.
Next Friday, the vessel will be removed from the Singapore Register of Ships and registered in the Lithuanian Register of Seagoing Ships, and the national flag will be raised.
The ceremony will be attended by Lithuanian, Latvian, Estonian and Polish presidents Gitanas Nausėda, Edgars Rinkēvičs, Alar Karis, and Andrzej Duda.
The buy-out price is 153.5 million US dollars (around 145 million euros at today’s rate), but the exact amount will be announced after December 6. The Nordic Investment Bank has lent KN Energies up to 160 million euros for this purpose.
Hoegh LNG Klaipėda, Hoegh LNG’s subsidiary in Lithuania, which won the tender, will be the vessel’s operator for five years, with an option to extend it for another five years.
The cost of the terminal’s services for its users will remain substantially unchanged once KN Energies becomes its owner.
FSRU Independence became Lithuania’s main source of gas after the country completely stopped Russian gas imports in April 2022.
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