Her Majesty Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands will open Gate terminal, located on the Maasvlakte in Rotterdam, on 23 September 2011. Gate terminal (Gas Access To Europe) is the first import terminal for liquefied natural gas in the Netherlands and has been developed by N.V. Nederlandse Gasunie and Royal Vopak.

The reason for developing Gate terminal as an independent distribution point for European energy companies is the rising demand for and declining production of natural gas in northwest Europe.

Gate terminal receives liquefied natural gas (LNG) by ship, which is subsequently regasified and prepared for distribution to the Dutch gas transport network and transport to the northwestern European markets.

Gate terminal has three storage tanks, two jetties and regasification systems. Each tank will have a storage capacity of 180,000 m3. The throughput capacity amounts to 180,000 m3 and can be expanded to up to 16 billion m3 per annum in the future.