The Lithuanian flag was raised over the LNG carrier Independence, which arrived in Klaipėda a decade ago, after the country took its ownership on Friday.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda described the ship as a symbol of energy resilience for the entire region.
“Over time, this vessel has become a symbol of Lithuania’s political will, demonstrating our commitment to achieving energy independence,” Nausėda said at the handover ceremony in Klaipėda.
“This project has transformed our energy vulnerability into strength and dependence into autonomy,” he added.
The ceremony was also attended by the Latvian, Estonian, and Polish presidents.
The Independence, which has previously sailed under Singapore’s flag, has now been removed from that country’s registry and included in Lithuania’s Register of Seagoing Ships.
The ship was bought from the Norwegian company Hoegh Evi by the state-owned company KN Energies for 138.04 million euros.
After Lithuania’s complete cessation of Russian gas imports in April 2022, with the exception of transit to Kaliningrad, the Klaipėda LNG terminal has become the country’s main source of gas supply.
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