Gas supplies at German gas storage facilities rose slightly for the first time in four weeks on Friday, likely due to the recent mild weather.
The average temperature was 5.4 degrees Celsius on Tuesday and 6.2 degrees Celsius on Wednesday, according to the German Weather Service.
The association of German gas and hydrogen storage operators, INES, reports that gas demand picks up at average temperatures of 6 degrees Celsius or less, suggesting the recent warmer winter weather contributed to the storage increase.
Also on Friday, Economy Minister Robert Habeck delivered three grant decisions totalling €62 million ($65.8 million) to shipping companies to build three liquefied natural gas (LNG) ship tankers at the Flensburger Schiffbau Gesellschaft shipyard in northern Germany.
“The maritime energy transition and the associated switch to alternative fuels in shipping are a huge task,” said Habeck.
Investments in the expansion of the bunker infrastructure are necessary so that the refuelling of seagoing vessels with LNG and renewable fuels is possible, he said.
The ships will be used for refuelling, and later to supply ships in European ports with LNG. They will also be designed for storing ammonia at a later stage.
