German LNG under new management
German LNG Terminal under the new management of Philipp Kroepels and Dr. Michael Kleemiß in the approval procedure phase and further implementation planning / Managing Director Rolf Brouwer returns to Vopak NV after successfully building up the company
Now that German LNG Terminal GmbH has reached two important milestones in that it has been granted exemption from network access by the European Commission and has recently submitted the application for planning permission, Managing Director, Rolf Brouwer, seconded by the Dutch company, Vopak, is returning to the group.
“Under Rolf Brouwer’s leadership, a stable project company has been developed which is determined to tackle the future plans. Our thanks go to Rolf Brouwer and his team for making this project so successful despite the challenging environment caused by the pandemic!” commented Ulco Vermeulen (Board member, Gasunie) René Anghel (CFO, Oiltanking GmbH) and Kees van Seventer (President LNG, Royal Vopak NV). “The foundations have now been laid for the project to move with further momentum into the approval procedure phase, followed by its gradual implementation.”
As of September 2021, the new managing directors will be the current Head of Finance & Administration Philipp Kroepels (48) and Dr. Michael Kleemiß (54), who is already well familiar with the project as a representative of the shareholding company, Gasunie.
Dr. Michael Kleemiß has almost 25 years’ experience in the natural gas business both in Germany and in the Netherlands. He was also Division Manager in the Marketing and Operations Division of the Transmission System Operator, Gasunie Deutschland, and initiated and helped to shape the Germany-wide market area conversion from L-gas to H-gas. At the moment, he is responsible for Gasunie’s corporate strategy and business development in Groningen.
Philipp Kroepels has held various commercial and operational management positions in the international energy business for over 15 years in Germany, Southern Europe and the USA. During this time, for example, he was responsible for the business development area for Oiltanking’s parent company, Marquard & Bahls, in which the current involvement in the LNG business was initiated. Before joining German LNG in July 2020, he worked in the USA as managing director of Marquard & Bahls’ jet fuel division.
“It’s important for us that we maintain continuity in our knowledge of the project and that we successfully implement the project,” the shareholding company representatives added. “With Philipp Kroepels and Dr. Michael Kleemiß, we have found the ideal candidates.”
Wealth of experience — German LNG and the shareholding companies
German LNG Terminal GmbH is a joint venture between Dutch companies Gasunie LNG Holding B.V. and Vopak LNG Holding B.V. as well as Oiltanking GmbH, a subsidiary of Marquard & Bahls AG, based in Hamburg, Germany. The aim of the joint venture is to build and operate a multifunctional import and distribution terminal for liquefied natural gas (LNG) in Brunsbüttel.
The terminal will also provide a wide range of services including the loading and unloading of LNG carriers, the temporary storage of LNG, regasification, feeding natural gas into the German natural gas network, and distribution of LNG via tank trucks and LNG tank cars.
In addition, plans for using the terminal in the future to supply northern Germany with climate-neutral energy sources have been developed with Hamburg University of Technology.