Novatek, Nauticor Team up for Baltic LNG Supply

Russia's Novatek has signed a letter of intent (LoI) with German LNG bunkerer Nauticor to co-operate in developing LNG supply infrastructure in the Baltic Sea area, the latter said in a statement on March 25.

The pair aim to develop the LNG bunkering market through the use of refuelling vessels and trucks. The main focus will be on developing infrastructure along Germany's Baltic Sea coast.

Novatek is a major LNG supplier to Europe, delivering shipments from its Yamal and Vysotsk liquefaction terminals in northern Russia, while Nauticor has established LNG bunkering supply chains in northwest Europe.

"The commitment of a strong player like Novatek, to support the development of small-scale LNG infrastructure in the Baltic Sea and beyond, underlines Nauticor’s efforts to develop the last mile of the LNG supply chain from the terminal to the end-customer," The Hamburg-base firm's senior business development manager Gregoire Hartig commented.

Nauticor, which is being bought by Finnish state utility Gasum, is already a customer of Novatek's Vysotsk LNG terminal. Gasum operates the LNG regasification terminal at Tornio (pictured).