Egypt leads US LNG cargo destinations in May as European share drops in Freight News 08/06/2026 Egypt was the top destination for US LNG cargoes delivered in May, while US shipments to Asia continued to rise during the month to help offset supply disruptions caused by the war in the Middle East, an analysis of S&P Global Energy CERA data showed June 1. The share of monthly US cargoes landed in Europe also declined in May to the lowest point since late 2024, as forward pricing for the winter months continued to discourage buyers in the region from competing with Asia for available volumes. Egypt received 16 US cargoes in May, followed by the Netherlands and Italy, each with 15; by India with 14; and by France, Germany and Japan, with 10 each. Of 153 US LNG cargoes delivered in May, 48 landed in Asia, representing about 31% of monthly deliveries and an increase from 42 in April, CERA data showed. Asia has faced the most acute supply disruptions from the war, which continues to constrain about 20% of global LNG volumes that normally transit the Strait of Hormuz. Europe, including Turkey, received 75 US cargoes in May, accounting for about 49% of US deliveries during the month. That represented a decline in Europe’s share of American shipments for the third consecutive month and the lowest monthly share of US volumes for the region since October 2024. At the same time, storage inventories in Europe remain below historical norms. EU-wide gas storage levels were about 40% full as of May 31, according to Gas Infrastructure Europe. Inventories were about 48% full at the same time in 2025, and 70% full at the same point in 2024. The surge in deliveries of US cargoes to Egypt in May was driven by rising power demand with the arrival of summer and ongoing weakness in the country’s domestic gas production. The shipments followed months of increased buying by Egypt, traditionally an LNG exporter that became a net importer in 2024. May falls during what is typically the weake