Energy, Gas, Legislation, Lithuania, Port, Transport

The Klaipeda Seaport is to build necessary infrastructure and Lietuvos Dujos is to build a gas pipeline from Jurbarkas to Klaipeda, reports LETA/ELTA.

The Ministry of Energy on behalf of the government has proposed to give responsibilities for the project to such companies.

"Buying a ship with all the equipment has already passed one of its a first stages. We hope that the competition will be successfully completed and an agreement will be signed. Works of dredging the port and building a quay are also being designed. All the works concerning gas pipeline are being projected as well," Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius said.

Dredging of the port is planned to be started in autumn, after a study on environmental impact is ready.

Norwegian company Hoegh LNG won a public tender and is going to build a floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) storage tank containing gasification facility for Lithuania. Terms of lease are planned to be agreed on approximately in a month.

'We are going to rent a terminal for ten years and later we will get an opportunity to buy it out. A lessor as well will be a manager. Whoever rents a terminal to us, will commit himself to managing it for ten years. We will gain some experience during this period, and will be able to manage the ship when we take over its ownership," Rokas Masiulis, General Manager of Klaipedos Nafta, said.

It has been calculated that Lithuania could import a quarter of a total amount of gas used at present.