Lithuanian president Dalia Grybauskaite did the honours on Wednesday for the 170,000-cbm Independence (inset) — named with more than a passing reference to the country’s desire to diversify its energy supply away from Russian pipeline gas — which will go into operation for state outfit Klaipedos Nafta under a 10-year contract as the country’s maiden LNG import terminal.

The Independence is due for delivery next month and expected to go into operation near the end of this year.