Another shipment of liquefied natural gas has arrived at the LNG terminal in Świnoujście, but the tanker has been waiting for two days for permission to enter the facility. The situation highlights the logistical challenges associated with delivering the commodity by sea. The Świnoujście terminal is one of the key components of Poland’s gas system, and every delivery requires coordination between vessel traffic and the facility’s cargo handling capacity.
According to WNP, a vessel carrying LNG has been waiting for two days to enter the terminal in Świnoujście. The shipment has reached the area near the port, but a tanker’s arrival does not mean that the gas can be unloaded immediately.
Handling such a vessel requires a suitable berth and infrastructure prepared to receive the liquefied gas safely. The unloading date therefore depends on how the terminal’s operations are organised and on the schedule of vessel arrivals.
Based on the available information, it is not possible to determine exactly what caused this particular vessel to wait. The fact that it is standing by does not in itself mean that the terminal has suffered a failure or that Poland’s gas supplies are at risk.
The Świnoujście terminal is crucial for gas supplies
The LNG terminal in Świnoujście enables Poland to receive gas transported by ships from various parts of the world. After unloading, the liquefied gas is stored and then regasified, meaning it is converted from liquid back into gaseous form. The processed gas can then enter the national transmission system.
According to data from the operator, GAZ SYSTEM, the facility has regasification capacity of up to 8.3 billion cubic metres of gas per year. The terminal can also handle vessels carrying up to 217,000 cubic metres of LNG.
Efficient handling of successive vessels is important for organising supplies, particularly when individual cargoes arrive according to schedules specified in commercial contracts.
LNG deliveries from Qatar set to resume after a months long pause
The report of the waiting tanker comes amid changes in the LNG market. According to Reuters on 26 October, gas deliveries from Qatar to Poland are due to resume after a pause lasting several months. The LNG carrier Al Kharsaah is expected to arrive in Świnoujście on 14 November.
Shipments from Qatar were suspended following attacks on the country’s energy infrastructure in connection with the war with Iran. QatarEnergy had previously declared force majeure, informing customers that it was unable to fulfil some of its contractual obligations.
The interruption did not mean, however, that Poland was left without gas. Orlen also uses other import routes and purchases gas on the spot market. Diversifying supply sources helps reduce the risks associated with problems affecting an individual supplier.
There is no basis, however, for directly linking the tanker’s two day wait off Świnoujście with the interruption of Qatari deliveries. The available information does not indicate that the two issues are connected.
Does the unloading delay threaten Poland’s gas security?
A vessel waiting outside a terminal does not in itself indicate a threat to security of supply. Relevant factors include the size of the cargo, the schedule of subsequent deliveries, the condition of the domestic gas system and the ability to replenish supplies from other sources.
At Świnoujście, it is also important to distinguish between an LNG carrier arriving near the port and the actual unloading of its cargo. Only after the unloading operation has been completed can the gas be sent on for further use.
At present, there is no confirmed information showing that the vessel’s two day wait has affected gas supplies to consumers in Poland.
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