A small-scale dock planned for the LNG terminal on Revythoussa, just off Athens, a notable feature listed on gas grid operator DESFA’s development plan for 2020 to 2029, promises to facilitate wider gas supply to new areas.

The project, budgeted at 30 million euros, would facilitate the use of LNG for shipping in the east Mediterranean, promising to establish Greece as a pivotal LNG bunkering and distribution hub in southeast Europe.

A final investment decision on the project, now at a maturing stage, is expected to be made this coming February.

The Poseidon Med II program, the EU’s multiannual financial framework for 2014 to 2020, a European Investment Bank (EIB) loan, and DESFA funds are expected to contribute to the cost of the project’s studies.

The gas grid operator has submitted an application for the multiannual financial framework to cover 50.93 percent of the project’s cost.

The new dock, planned to be developed at the Revythoussa facility’s northeastern end, will facilitate LNG loading onto small-scale transportation tankers with capacities of between 1,000 and 20,000 cubic meters.

The smaller of these tankers will provide refueling services to short-sea and deep-sea ships at Piraeus port, while the bigger tankers will supply LNG storage and distribution facilities at other ports around Greece and abroad.

The project is planned to be launched over two phases, the first in September, 2022 and the second in December, 2026.