KEY POINTS
- Italy’s Adriatic LNG terminal to resume full operations by mid-September after maintenance.
- Ongoing works will raise annual regasification capacity from 9 to 9.5 bcm, available from 2026.
- The facility has already handled over 1,180 LNG cargoes since starting operations in 2009.
The largest liquefied natural gas, LNG, terminal in Italy is getting ready to operate at full capacity again in the near future, which will help the nation’s gas supply as the weather cools.
Following a month-long maintenance shutdown, Terminale GNL Adriatico, which is jointly owned by VTTI and Snam, announced that its regasification plant in the Northern Adriatic Sea will be fully operational by mid-September. The largest regasification hub in the nation and a key entry point for LNG imports, the facility is situated roughly 15 kilometers off Porto Tolle.
The terminal is currently in the last stage of ramping up to full capacity after partially sending data back to the national grid on August 31. During the downtime, operators maintained loading arms and seawater vaporizers and prepared the way for a small increase in throughput.
Capacity boost to 9.5 bcm per year expected by early 2026
The operator claims that the terminal’s yearly regasification capacity will increase from 9 billion cubic meters to 9.5 billion due to ongoing construction at the Cavarzere metering station. The asset’s crucial role in Italy’s and Europe’s energy strategy is highlighted by the fact that that increase has already been booked under long-term contracts that span the next 20 years.
A dedicated pipeline connects the offshore facility, which was put into service in 2009, to Italy’s national gas network. Since Europe started moving away from Russian pipeline gas, the terminal has become more and more significant, making LNG imports the mainstay of its energy diversification initiative.
“The unloading of the first LNG carrier yesterday—the 1,182nd since operations began—marks the successful conclusion of an intense maintenance campaign,” said Alessandro Conta, chief operating officer of Adriatic LNG. “It was a major team effort involving more than 100 engineers and technicians, carried out safely and within the scheduled timeline.”
With the upgrades scheduled for completion by year-end, the terminal will further cement its role as a cornerstone of Italy’s energy security, ensuring a steady flow of LNG supplies into the European grid well into the next decade.
