On May 26, 2025, Deutsche Energy Terminal GmbH (DET), a state-owned entity, announced the commissioning of its third floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal, Wilhelmshaven 2, as part of Germany's LNG Acceleration Act, according to the company's release.
The terminal features the Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU) Excelsior, a 277-meter-long vessel built in 2005 by Excelerate Energy.
The Excelsior has a storage capacity of 138,000 cubic meters and a regasification capacity of up to 500 million standard cubic feet per day.
In 2025, it is expected to feed up to 1.9 billion cubic meters of natural gas into the German grid, equivalent to the annual heating needs of approximately 1.5 million four-person households.
From 2026 onwards, the capacity is projected to increase to 4.6 billion cubic meters annually, serving up to 3.7 million households.
The Excelsior is moored at a specially constructed island jetty approximately 1.5 kilometers offshore in the Jade Stream. The jetty, designed and built by ENGIE Deutschland GmbH and Tree Energy Solutions B.V. (TES), is connected to the mainland via subsea pipelines for data, electricity, and natural gas. An innovative system from ECOnnect Energy facilitates these connections.
Dr. Peter Röttgen, Managing Director of DET, stated: "In this challenging project, we have consistently worked together towards our goal: to significantly strengthen energy supply security in Germany. We must reduce the risks of one-sided dependence on energy imports for our economy and consumers."
The project was completed in approximately two and a half years, including planning and approval phases, which is roughly half the time typically required for comparable large-scale LNG projects. DET and its partners received support during construction from the Gasfin Group, which will manage terminal operations on-site.
Marco Alverà, Co-founder and CEO of TES, added: "The FSRU has helped turn Wilhelmshaven into a key entry point for LNG – at a time when energy security and transatlantic trade are high on Europe’s agenda."
The Excelsior will be connected to the German natural gas grid via the second Wilhelmshaven connecting pipeline (WAL II) operated by Open Grid Europe (OGE).
Deutsche Energy Terminal GmbH (DET) is a state-owned German company responsible for operating floating LNG import terminals. On behalf of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy, DET manages terminals in Brunsbüttel and Wilhelmshaven, facilitating the regasification of LNG and its integration into the German gas grid.