Cape Ann FSRU Arrival Sparks Greenpeace Protest in France
By Our Correspondent
Protesters from Greenpeace attempted to obstruct the arrival of the first Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU) named “CAPE ANN” at the northern French Port of Le Havre, according to FleetMon.
It stated: “The FSRU arrived to commence a five-year contract and has the capacity to process 5 billion cubic meters of liquefied natural gas (LNG) annually.
“In an act of protest, Greenpeace activists painted the words “Gas Kills” on the ship’s hull and displayed banners bearing slogans such as “Total Shale Dealer,” “End Fossil Crimes,” and “Macron Shale Dealer.”
“The planning for the LNG import terminal had been underway for over a year, initiated due to concerns about potential disruptions in gas imports from Russia. TotalEnergies had previously indicated that up to half of the FSRU’s output would be available for use by other partners.
“Greenpeace protesters argue that the FSRU project primarily benefits the energy company TotalEnergies and allege that the environmental assessment conducted for the project was manipulated. They contend that France already possesses the capacity to receive the necessary LNG and that there is a sufficient stockpile of LNG in the country to export to neighboring European nations potentially. They claim that the terminal serves solely the financial interests of TotalEnergies.
“Greenpeace also highlights that the gas to supply the FSRU will predominantly originate from U.S. shale gas, contradicting French policy, which seeks to avoid the use of shale gas obtained through fracking.
“The LNG tanker “CAPE ANN” is owned by TotalEnergies and chartered from Hoegh LNG. The vessel had been in service as an FSRU in China for the past decade before TotalEnergies announced its relocation to France in the summer of 2022. Notably, TotalEnergies has reported significant interest from other energy companies looking to share in the FSRU’s output if it continues to operate in France. Currently, the FSRU is docked at the terminal and is expected to commence gas supply operations in a matter of days.”
