The Netherlands is on the way to doubling its potential to import gas from outside Europe with the arrival of a floating factory in Eemshaven in Groningen, reports NOS.

Two factory ships, hired in by the Gasunie, can process liquefied natural gas (lgn) so that it can be used to supply households and industry.

They will take the Dutch capacity from 12 million cubic metres to 20. An expansion at the current processing terminal in the Tweede Maasvlakte in Rotterdam will bring capacity up to 24 million cubic metres.

Annual gas usage in the Netherlands, which is normally 40 million cubic metres, has fallen by a quarter due to extremely high prices. The country hopes to import liquefied natural gas from locations including the United States and Middle East, to counteract reductions in supply from Russia.

In the Netherlands, companies such as Vattenvall have already announced extra increases in domestic energy prices which normally only rise twice a year on ‘variable’ contracts, sparking increasing concern about the cost of living.