Egypt Doubles Down on Floating Gas Terminals to Keep the Lights On

As summer demand spikes, Cairo races to secure LNG imports with a fleet of FSRUs

Egypt’s energy infrastructure just got a critical upgrade with the arrival of its second floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU), the Energos Power, at Alexandria’s Tahya Misr terminal. Operated by New Fortress Energy, the vessel will immediately begin converting liquefied natural gas (LNG) into pipeline-ready gas to feed Egypt’s national grid. The timing is no accident: with air conditioning units humming nationwide during peak summer demand, the government is scrambling to avoid blackouts.

“This isn’t just about keeping the lights on—it’s about keeping factories running and exports flowing,” said Petroleum Minister Karim Badawi during an inspection tour with EGAS and Petrojet ENPPI officials.

The Energos Power’s deployment follows a diplomatic scramble. Originally stationed in Germany, the FSRU left earlier than planned after Berlin balked at high leasing costs. Egypt seized the opportunity, redirecting the vessel to Alexandria within weeks. But Cairo isn’t stopping there: two more FSRUs are slated to join the fleet, including the Energos Eskimo, which will dock at Ain Sokhna this summer under a decade-long contract with NFE.

The first FSRU, Hoegh Galleon, arrived in July 2024 as a stopgap measure. By late 2026, it’ll be replaced by the upgraded Hoegh Gandria, currently undergoing conversion by Singapore’s Seatrium. That vessel will anchor at Sumed Port for 10 years, cementing Egypt’s bet on floating terminals over costly onshore plants. With four FSRUs online soon, the government aims to cut reliance on sporadic pipeline imports—and keep the summer heat from turning into a political crisis.