A floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal that will reduce Lithuania's reliance on Russia for energy has docked in the Baltic Sea port of Klaipeda.
An honor guard welcomed the "Independence," a vessel measuring three football fields in length, on October 27.
President Dalia Grybauskaite said the terminal "is important for the energy security of Lithuania as well as of the entire Baltic region."
Lithuania, which has been completely dependent upon Russia for natural gas, will use the facility to import 0.54 billion cubic meters of gas from Norway next year.
The terminal will enable Lithuania to import up to 4 billion cubic meters of gas per year after 2015.
This is well above the 2.7 billion cubic meters it bought from Russia in 2013 and leaves extra capacity for its Baltic neighbors Latvia or Estonia, which are also totally dependent on Russian gas.