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Polish president hails ‘historic’ delivery of US LNG

26.07.2019 15:55
Polish President Andrzej Duda has hailed the delivery of a first batch of US LNG under a long-term deal, saying it marked a ‘historic’ moment for bilateral economic relations.
Polish President Andrzej Duda
Polish President Andrzej DudaPhoto: PAP/Radek Pietruszka

“The first shipment of liquefied natural gas (LNG) under a long-term deal with Cheniere from the United States is an important step on the way to ensuring Poland’s energy security,” Duda said in a letter that an aide read at a ceremony in the northwestern Polish port of Świnoujście on Friday.

Polish government officials and US diplomats attended the ceremony, which took place on Friday after a ship carrying American liquefied natural gas (LNG) from US supplier Cheniere Energy arrived in the Polish port on the Baltic Sea.

In his letter, Duda described the delivery as “a historic moment for Polish-American economic relations and a confirmation of close allied ties between our countries.”

Under the deal with Cheniere Energy, Poland expects to import 29.5 million tonnes, or nearly 40 billion cubic metres, of American LNG over 24 years, public broadcaster Polish Radio’s IAR news agency has reported.

“This is a perspective that allows us to think more calmly about supplying gas to Polish companies and Polish families,” Duda said of the deal, as quoted by state news agency PAP.

Poland’s PGNiG in October said it had finalised an unprecedented 20-year deal for the purchase of LNG from two subsidiaries of the US-based Venture Global LNG company amid efforts to make Poland independent of Russian supplies.

Piotr Naimski, the Polish government's pointman on strategic energy infrastructure, said in February that Poland would stop buying Russian gas after its long-term supply contract with Russia’s Gazprom expires in 2022.

(jh/gs)

Source: PAP