LNG Shipping: Seaborne LNG Imports to Dominate EU’s Demand in Hellenic Shipping News 10/02/2026 The strategic shift of EU’s LNG imports’ demand is redrawing the global LNG shipping map. In its latest weekly report, shipbroker Intermodal said that “Europe’s decision to formally sever its remaining gas ties with Russia marks the end of a chapter that has defined the continent’s energy system for decades. Framed as sanctions, the move reflects a deeper structural shift. Once the phased ban on Russian pipeline gas and LNG is fully implemented by late 2027, the supply gap left by Russian volumes will be covered predominantly by seaborne flows, with LNG no longer acting as a marginal balancing tool but as a core supply pillar. In 2025 alone, the EU imported roughly 146 bcm of LNG, underlining how central the fuel has already become to the region’s energy mix”. According to Intermodal’s Head of Research Department, Mr. Yiannis Parganas, “in the near term, the gap left by Russian volumes is being filled primarily by the United States. American LNG has rapidly evolved from a flexible swing supply into Europe’s dominant source of gas, accounting for over 55–60% of total EU LNG imports, or around 81 bcm in 2025 (+285% compared to 2021 volumes), while ongoing and prospective deals with U.S. suppliers point to a scenario in which American volumes could approach 40% of Europe’s total gas demand and around 75-80% of LNG inflows by the end of the decade according to IEEFA. By comparison, Russian gas flows into Europe declined to 37 bcm in 2025 from 151 bcm in 2021, before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, with the U.S. supplying roughly 21 bcm over the same period. This dependence to the U.S becomes most visible during periods of stress. Cold weather this winter pushed U.S. LNG deliveries to monthly levels of around 7 bcm, reinforcing how deeply embedded American supply has become in Europe’s energy security framework”. Source: Intermodal “Yet this growing reliance introduces a new strategic dilemma. Europe is successfully reducing exposure to Russian energy, but in doing so it is concentrating risk elsewhere. Dependence has not disappeared but has simply changed shape. LNG from the U.S. offers scale, flexibility, and political alignment, but it also introduces a different set of vulnerabilities, tied to export policy, domestic politics, and the growing use of trade as a geopolitical lever. Recent tensions between Brussels and Washington have sharpened awareness that even allied supply chains are not immune to disruption or pressure. This realization is shifting Europe’s focus from simple replacement to diversification, with buyers prioritizing optionality as long-term Russian contracts expire from 2027 onward”, Parganas said. Intermodal’s analyst added that “within this framework, Qatar is emerging as a key pillar of Europe’s diversification strategy. Qatari LNG already represents around 15–20 bcm of annual EU imports, and the country’s large-scale capacity expansions at North Field East and North Field South are expected to add more than 55 bcm per year of new LNG supply globally by the end of the decade. Unlike U.S. LNG, Qatari volumes are typically sold under long-duration contracts of 15–25 years, offering supply certainty at the expense of flexibility. For Europe, this trade-off is increasingly acceptable as a hedge against over-reliance on any single supplier. Alongside LNG diversification, Azerbaijan is positioned to increase pipeline gas del