Montenegro Mulls LNG Imports

The Montenegrin port of Bar is considering building an LNG terminal to import gas from the US, its director Vladan Vucelic said in an interview with local newspaper Dnevne Novine on February 12, shared on the port's website.

The US department of energy's assistant secretary for fossil fuels, Steven Winberg, visited the Adriatic port on February 6, to discuss the potential US LNG imports, according to Vucelic. He later told Montenegrin media that Bar had the potential to become a key hub for US gas entering Europe.

"That port is ideally positioned to accept LNG and would be a hub from which to transport liquefied gas to other countries; it is a deep water port and can accommodate ships coming from the United States," the official said in video posted by Montenegrin public broadcaster RTCG on February 10. "Whenever you have a new energy source, it creates energy stability and security."

Neighbouring Croatia is building its own LNG terminal, expected to start up in 2021. Croatia and Montenegro were among the Eastern European countries to sign a memorandum in late January on developing the region's gas grid. The initiative is backed by the United States Energy Association (Usea) and the United States Agency for International Development (Usaid), and has the objective of "facilitating the creation of a regional gas market with potential for US deliveries."