BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 6. Europe’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports continued their strong upward trend in July 2025, rising 43% year-on-year to 9.08 million tons (Mt), according to the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF), Trend reports.
The increase was supported by higher demand for reinjection into underground storage and declining pipeline gas imports.
France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and the UK drove the growth, offsetting lower imports in Türkiye. Between January and July, Europe imported 77.04 Mt of LNG, a 27% increase year-on-year and a 7.3% rise compared with the same period in 2022, a record year for European LNG intake.
In France and the Netherlands, higher LNG imports were linked to increased pipeline gas exports to neighbouring countries, with both nations acting as major transit hubs. Germany and Italy saw LNG gains due to lower pipeline gas imports, rising exports to neighbouring markets, and greater storage reinjection. Spain’s imports increased amid stronger domestic consumption and storage activity, while in the UK, declining pipeline supplies and higher exports to mainland Europe supported the rise.
By contrast, Türkiye recorded lower LNG imports in July as rising pipeline deliveries and domestic gas production reduced the need for additional LNG volumes.
