Tornio LNG terminal in Finland unloads first shipment

Wärtsilä-built Tornio Manga liquefied natural gas (LNG) receiving terminal in Tornio, Northern Finland, has completed unloading of the first shipment.

The terminal was built by the company under a turnkey contract.

Comprising 15,000m³ of LNG, the shipment arrived onboard the LNG carrier ‘Coral Energy’, following which the cooldown process of the terminal and the LNG unloading process were completed.

With the completion of unloading, the commissioning phase of the project has started.

Manga LNG CEO Mika Kolehmainen said: “The arrival and unloading of the first delivery of LNG at the new terminal marks an important new step for energy usage by local industries and shipping.

“Tornio is emerging as the regional hub in this Baltic Sea area, especially in Northern Finland and Sweden, which gives a considerable boost to the region.”

The LNG from the terminal will serve as a source of clean-burning energy for local and regional industries in Northern Finland, Sweden and Norway.

It is anticipated that the commercial operation of the terminal will commence in summer next year.

Wärtsilä Energy Solutions LNG solutions vice-president Alexandre Eykerman said: “We are proud to be playing a significant role in the economic development of this region in close cooperation with our customers and partners, and to have reached another significant milestone in this project.

“Our technologies and solutions are promoting the greater use of LNG as fuel in both the energy and shipping sectors. At the same time, each step that we take in enabling an efficient and reliable LNG infrastructure endorses our capabilities and contributes to a safer and cleaner environment.”

The next shipment of LNG is expected to be delivered to the Tornio Manga terminal at the beginning of next year.

The terminal is a joint venture of the industrial companies Outokumpu and SSAB Europe, the energy company EPV Energy and the LNG company Skangas.