Record growth in the potential of LNG import terminals in 2025 [ANALYSIS]

At the end of 2025, global regasification capacity reached 1,113.5 Mtpa across 50 markets, whose economies are increasingly dependent on seaborne gas. In 2026, LNG imports by some EU countries reached record levels in the first half of the year.

Some countries are expanding the transshipment capacity of regasification terminals for gas re-export. Gaz System also plans to do the same for the FSRU in Gdańsk. Last year, investors added 62.9 Mtpa (million tons per year) of new transshipment capacity, according to the International Gas Union in its latest “IGU World LNG Report – 2026 Edition.”

Demand increased thanks to the launch of eight new onshore import terminals, five new FSRUs, and the expansion of the regasification capacity of seven existing import facilities. The strong growth in global LNG regasification capacity continued in 2025. Last year, 20 projects commissioned in 13 markets. This represents an increase in capacity compared to the 18 projects launched in seven markets in 2024. Asia led the capacity additions in 2025 with 22.2 million tonnes per year, followed by Africa with 17.2 million tonnes per year, Europe with 11.0 million tonnes per year, Asia-Pacific with 6.6 million tonnes per year, the Middle East with 5.7 million tonnes per year, and Latin America with 0.2 million tonnes per year.

Investments in new LNG terminals in 2025. Source: “IGU World LNG Report – 2026 Edition”

The largest projects commissioned in 2025 included three import facilities using FSRU terminals. These include the Ain Sokhna (Sonkar) FSRU (Energos Power) and Ain Sokhna (Sumed) FSRU (Energos Eskimo) in Egypt, and the Aqaba FSRU (Energos Force) in the Port of Aqaba, Jordan. Each FSRU has a regasification capacity of 5.7 Mtpa.

Gas in Egypt

Egypt has heavily hedged its defenses against disruptions in gas supplies, which arrive via pipeline from Israel. Egypt is leasing the Energos Winter floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) for five years, which has been in service since August of last year. is docked in Damietta, reports Doaa Ashraf of Egypt Oil & Gas. This is part of a plan developed by the Egyptian Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources.

Investments in LNG terminals in Egypt. Source: EIA

Egypt’s plan to modernize and secure gas supplies aims to meet demand from the electricity, industrial, and economic sectors. Egypt has connected three regasification units to the gas pipeline system, located at the SUMED and Sonker berths in the port of Ain Sokhna. These units have a combined regasification capacity of 2,250 million cubic feet per day (mmscf/d), Moataz Atef, Undersecretary of the Minister for Technical Affairs and Spokesperson for the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, announced in an interview with Al Arabiya News Channel.

Furthermore, Egypt has secured an additional source of natural gas through cooperation with Jordan. The Jordanian port of Aqaba will receive the Energos Force regasification unit, which has been connected to the Arab Gas Pipeline (AGP). This enables gas supplies to countries connected by the pipeline, such as Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon. The regasification unit has a capacity of 750 mmcf/d. The terminal in Jordan provides an additional gas supply source for both countries.

The investment is being carried out by BAM International from the Netherlands. It is an operating company of Royal BAM Group operating outside Europe. The €65 million New Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Terminal project was completed on a turnkey basis in Aqaba for the Aqaba Development Corporation (ADC).

LNG Terminals: A Remedy for the Crisis

It turns out that investments in gas terminals proved to be a bull’s-eye during the crisis in the Persian Gulf. Gas supply cuts in Israel forced Egypt to resort to emergency fuel imports this summer, reported Mahmoud Salem of Manassa.news. Therefore, the Egyptian Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources has decided to accelerate imports of approximately 3 million cubic meters of liquefied natural gas, equivalent to 63 billion cubic feet of gas.

Imports of this amount of gas were successfully arranged in June of this year. They partially offset the sudden reduction in gas supplies from Israel by approximately 250 million cubic feet per day (cf/d). The costs of launching the emergency supplies are exorbitant. The gas purchased on the open market will cost approximately $1.1 billion, and the entire financial burden will be borne by the Ministry of Petroleum, reports Manassa.news.w.

Regasification potential of LNG importers. Source: Rystad Energy, “IGU World LNG Report – 2026 Edition”

Imports from the spot market are essential “to maintain energy supplies from Egyptian conventional power plants, as rising temperatures increase domestic demand for air conditioning,” explains Mahmoud Salem. The accelerated deliveries will range from 2 to 2.1 billion cf/d. The fuel will be received by four regasification tanks and then injected into the national grid, which will power power plants and heavy, energy-intensive industries, the source added.

Domestic natural gas production in Egypt currently stands at around 4 billion cf/d, while daily consumption exceeds 6.4 billion cf/d, resulting in a structural deficit of 2.4 billion cf/d, according to the official. This supply gap is expected to widen as record-high summer temperatures continue to drive domestic energy consumption.

China in the lead, Africa second

In 2026, the facilities commissioned last year were practically fully utilized, with the market’s LNG import capacity increasing by 62.9 million tons per year. Of this, 42.6 million tons per year came from 13 new terminals, and 20.3 million tons per year from seven facilities expanded with new transshipment capacity. Egypt began importing LNG in 2024, when the Hoegh Galleon FSRU was connected to the national grid.

LNG demand in Asia is dominated by the needs of the Chinese economy. China accounted for the largest share of the increase in import capacity in 2025. The new facilities increased the transshipment capacity of Asian operators by 22.2 million tons per year. China added a total of 15.1 million tons per year of regasification capacity.

This is a result of China commissioning five projects. These include Zhoushan ENN LNG 3, which can handle 5 Mtpa, Shanghai LNG 1 (3 Mtpa), Wenzhou Huagang LNG 1 (3 Mtpa), Yangjiang LNG (2.1 Mtpa), and the Wuhu LNG River Terminal (2 Mtpa). India has increased its LNG import capacity by 7.1 Mtpa. To this end, it has built a new offshore regasification terminal, the Chhara LNG (5 Mtpa) and the Dabhol LNG (2.1 Mtpa).

Russian LNG exports to EU countries in the first half of 2026. Source: Professor at Sciences Po Paris, Greg Molnár, International Energy Agency (EIA).

Russian LNG exports to the European Union increased by a staggering 50% in the first half of 2026 compared to the second half of 2025. Deliveries through European terminals increased by almost 20% year-on-year. In total, Russian LNG accounted for 20% of total LNG imports to the EU in the first half of the year, Molnár reports.

Offshore LNG terminals in three Western countries were operating at full capacity. “Belgium, France, and Spain accounted for approximately 90% of total Russian LNG imports to the EU and contributed 80% of the year-on-year growth.”

Molnar notes that several factors may have contributed to this strong import growth:

(1) European customers are seeking to mitigate shortages in LNG supplies from the Middle East;

(2) Buyers with LTC contracts can exercise their volume flexibility rights and/or take some make-up gas before the total ban on Russian LNG imports comes into effect on January 1, 2027;

(3) The ban on transshipment of Russian LNG came into effect in March 2025 and may also contribute to more Russian LNG remaining in the EU by making it more difficult and expensive to reach Asian markets;

(4) The Northern Sea Route is navigable from July to mid-November, making it easier to reach European markets in the first half of the year, while Asian markets are typically more attractive for shipping during the summer.

LNG Importers Can Sleep Soundly

Importers who have invested in terminals can sleep soundly. Poten & Partners forecasts that global LNG exports will increase from approximately 428 million tons in 2026 to approximately 511 million tons by 2028, according to “LNG Market Outlook, June 2026.” Supply is being driven across the Atlantic. Installations are ramping up there, with rising production and capacity expansion in the US and Canada. A “recovery of supply in the Middle East” is also expected. West Africa is expected to see LNG exports increase by around 6%, and Russia by around 10% over the same period.

Russia will need to find new markets after losing its EU customers. It is important to remember that the ban on short-term and spot imports of Russian LNG came into effect on April 25th, and the complete withdrawal of Russian LNG from the European Union’s gas networks is scheduled for January 1st, 2027.

The EU remains the largest buyer of Russian LNG, accounting for almost half (49%) of total LNG imports from Russia, followed by China (23%) and Japan (18%), according to CREA analysts.

Southeast Asian exports are expected to decline from 142.6 million tons in 2026 to 133 million tons by 2028, as Malaysia and Indonesia grapple with growing domestic demand and dwindling natural gas reserves.