LNG

High prices are causing a drop in seaborne coal imports to India, though LNG is no alternative due to supply constraints and record prices, leaving Indian utilities struggling to meet soaring electricity demand this summer.

Australia and Singapore have signed a protocol to intensify cooperation on energy supply chains and trade, in a bid to reinforce LNG flows and regional fuel resilience amid persistent global disruptions.

Cambodia is adhering to its plan to begin LNG imports in 2027, with the government’s timeline anchored by the 900 MW Botum Sakor LNG-fired power project. The plant’s first 450 MW unit is scheduled to start operation in April 2027, followed by a second unit in December.

Nigerian LNG flows have changed direction since the spring. Bonny Island sent cargoes to the UK, the Netherlands, Belgium and northern France on a fairly steady basis through late 2025 and into March 2026, but the last one to reach northwest Europe, Myrina into Zeebrugge, sailed on 16 March. Nothing has followed it in the four months since, despite Iberia and the Mediterranean continuing to take deliveries at close to their usual pace.

Wärtsilä has signed an eight-year Lifecycle Agreement with Carnival Corp covering four LNG-powered cruise ships, including two vessels currently under construction. The deal covers ships operating under the Princess Cruises and Carnival Cruise Line brands.

The Alaska LNG project has emerged as South Korea’s likely first U.S. investment under a $200 billion trade deal, with Seoul signalling a possible announcement in late August or early September.

The Japan Korea Marker (JKM) for LNG delivery into northeast Asia for September could exceed $22/MMBtu at the start of this week as shipping disruptions widens and competition for Atlantic Basin cargoes intensifies between Europe and Asia.

The first cargo from Sempra’s Energia Costa Azul LNG terminal on Mexico’s Pacific coast is heading to South Korea, offering a new route for US LNG to Asian markets. The cargo, loaded aboard the Pacific Success, is still underway in the Pacific.

US developer Argent LNG is targeting a final investment decision (FID) within two years after securing Department of Energy approval to export nearly 1.3 trillion cubic feet per year (Tcf/y) of LNG from its proposed Port Fourchon terminal to countries with US free trade agreements.

Japanese shipbuilders are set to draw new investment as Tokyo looks to revive the sector, with industry groups backing a plan for roughly 350 billion yen in capital spending and a broader public-private fund of more than 1 trillion yen to double output by around 2035. The push also includes efforts to modernize yards and revive LNG carrier construction.